Andaman & Nicobar administration seeks suggestions from public for naming 586 uninhabited islands

The Andaman and Nicobar administration has invited public suggestions to name 586 uninhabited islands, emphasizing local tribal heritage, historical events, and natural features. Finalized names will be approved by the MHA, with the Survey of India updating official maps

Sri Vijaya Puram: The Andaman and Nicobar administration has sought suggestions from the public for naming 586 uninhabited islands in the archipelago, an official said.

The Union territory of Andaman and Nicobar Islands comprises of 836 islands, islets and rocks of which only 31 islands are inhabited.

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“We have asked for name suggestions from the general public, members of tribal communities, ex-servicemen, students, teachers, historians and environmentalists. It will be a unique task considering the difficult terrain of the archipelago,” Director of Art and Culture, Andaman and Nicobar administration, Priyanka Kumari said.

The names of the uninhabited islands should reflect the local tribal heritage, freedom fighters, eminent personalities, martyrs, unique flora and fauna, geographical features, historical events of national importance or any other theme considered appropriate.

“All the 586 islands have unique identification numbers, and once the names are finalised by the State Names Authority, it will be sent to the MHA for the final approval,” Kumari said.

She said the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands administration will then name the 586 uninhabited islands and islets for maintaining sovereignty, cultural identity and history of the archipelago.

All the names will reflect the local tribal heritage, freedom fighters, eminent personalities, martyrs, unique flora and fauna, geographical features, historical events of national importance or any other theme considered appropriate.

The Survey of India (SOI) is assisting the union territory administration in survey, technical support, preparing maps and marine boundaries. After finalisation of the names of the islands, the SOI will ensure that the official map and geographical data will reflect the current official names.

The total land area of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands is nearly 8,249 square km.

In January 2023, Prime Minister Narendra Modi named 21 uninhabited/inhabited islands after the recipients of Param Vir Chakra (PVC), India’s highest military award, during ‘Parakram Diwas’ (Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose’s birth anniversary) to honour brave soldiers. Out of 21, 16 unnamed islands are located in the North and Middle Andaman district, while five such inhabited islands are located in the South Andaman district.