News Release Details

Unveiling of Veer Savarkar Jyot at Cellular Jail, Port Blair
Port Blair   28-May-2016


Shri Amit Shah, National President, Bharatiya Janata Party addressing at the unveiling
ceremony of Veer Savarkar Jyot in the presence of Shri Dharmendra Pradhan,
Minister of State (I/C) for Petroleum & Natural Gas, Government of India;
Lt. Gen. AK Singh, Hon’ble Lieutenant Governor of Andaman & Nicobar Islands;
Shri Bishnu Pada Ray, Hon’ble Member of Parliament, Andaman & Nicobar Islands
and Shri B Ashok, Chairman Indian Oil Corporation Ltd.


To commemorate the 133rd birth anniversary of ‘Swatantra Veer’ Shri Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, a specially designed Veer Savarkar Jyot was unveiled in the premises of the Cellular Jail in Port Blair today by Shri Amit Shah, National President, Bharatiya Janata Party, in the presence of Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, Minister of State (I/C) for Petroleum & Natural Gas, Government of India; Lt. Gen. AK Singh, Hon’ble Lieutenant Governor of Andaman & Nicobar Islands; Shri Bishnu Pada Ray, Hon’ble Member of Parliament, Andaman & Nicobar Islands.

Also present on occasion were Shri B. Ashok, Chairman Indian Oil Corporation Ltd., Shri Verghese Cherian, Director (Human Resource) Indian Oil Corporation Ltd., Shri Rajesh CEO IndianOil Foundation and other senior officials from A&N administration.

Veer Savarkar Jyot has been erected by The IndianOil Foundation at the Cellular Jail in Port Blair as a lasting tribute to Shri Savarkar’s immense contribution to India’s freedom struggle. This Jyot will be a permanently lit flame inside the premises of Cellular Jail with the help of LPG supplied by Indian Oil Corporation Ltd. free of cost for this project.

Speaking at the occasion, Shri Amit Shah, said that the great sacrifice of Veer Savarkar, and the exemplary courage and tolerance which he exhibited during his period of imprisonment at the Cellular Jail, is still a major inspiration for us today. He stated that this was the biggest day of his life as the Jyot would serve as a “ Prerna Sthan” for the coming generations.

Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, MoS (Independent Charge), MoPNG, while addressing the guests, appreciated the efforts for erection of the Veer Savarkar Jyot, which symbolically highlights the sacrifice of numerous freedom fighters who have selflessly worked and sacrificed their lives for India’s freedom struggle. He said that this place would serve as a pilgrimage for Indians. He expressed gratitude for the support received from Honorable PM for the initiation of the Pradhan Mantri Ujjawala Yojana (PMUY) across the country. He also stated that he would make all-out efforts for bringing the PMUY to Andaman and Nicobar Islands at the earliest.

The Honorable Lieutenant Governor, Shri AK Singh emphasized that the Savarkar Jyot will help today’s citizen of India to realize the valour with which our freedom fighters endured the pain and atrocities of the oppressors and still managed to keep their motivation high by emphatically supporting each other.

Shri Bishnu Pada Ray, Hon’ble Member of Parliament, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, spoke about history of cellular jail, and it being a landmark monument and an epitome of sacrifices by brave hearts like Veer Savarkar.

Director (Human Resource) IndianOil and Trustee Indian Oil Foundation, Shri Verghese Cherian, rendered the formal vote of thanks.

Shri Vinayak Damodar Savarkar was one of the many freedom-fighters incarcerated in the Cellular Jail at port Blair during the freedom struggle. He was sentenced to 50 years’ of jail, for his active role in India’s freedom stuggle and spent about 16 years here in the Cellular Jail. He is revered in India even today as ‘Veer Savarkar’, a legendary personality of extra-ordinary valour.

The IndianOil Foundation is a non-profit trust created by Indian Oil Corporation to protect, preserve and promote India’s heritage monuments. The foundation is working in collaboration with the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and the National Culture Fund of the Ministry of Culture, Government of India.

Earlier, the National President BJP, Shri Amit Shah, Minister of State (I/C) Petroleum & Natural gas, Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, Lt. Governor, A&N Islands, Member of Parliament, Shri Bishnu Pada Ray placed wreath at the Martyrs’ Column, Cellular Jai.