Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday delivered a heartfelt tribute to freedom fighter Vinayak Damodar Savarkar during an event in Sri Vijayapuram, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, marking 115 years of his celebrated poetry collection Sagara Prana Talamalla.
Shah described Savarkar as both a formidable fighter and an exceptional writer who laid the foundation of ‘Cultural Nationalism’, an ideology that he said guides the government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Speaking to the gathering, Shah emphasised that Savarkar’s ideology should be passed down through generations, urging parents to share his legacy with their children.
He highlighted Savarkar’s contributions as a social reformer, poet and author, noting that few individuals achieve mastery in both prose and poetry.
The Home Minister also remarked on Savarkar’s linguistic excellence. “I have read his literature thoroughly, and even today I cannot decide whether he was a better poet or a writer; he excelled in both. Later, he also became a great linguist. By creating many new words, he enriched our language. There are about 600 or more words that Veer Savarkar contributed,” Shah said.
A Symbol of Sacrifice: Unveiling of Savarkar’s Statue
Referring to the recent unveiling of Savarkar’s statue at the Cellular Jail by RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, Shah said the statue symbolises the freedom fighter’s sacrifice, resolve and devotion to the motherland. He added that it would inspire future generations with messages of courage, duty, steadfastness and national unity.
He explained that the Cellular Jail, once a place from which few prisoners ever returned, has now become a pilgrimage site for Indians. “This is because Veer Savarkar Ji spent his difficult years here,” he said.
वीर सावरकर जी का जीवन मातृभूमि के प्रति अथाह प्रेम और राष्ट्र के लिए प्राण न्योछावर करने की प्रेरणा देता है। अंडमान और निकोबार की भूमि वीर सावरकर जी सहित अनेक स्वतंत्रता सेनानियों के त्याग, समर्पण एवं साहस की साक्षी रही है।
आज इस पावन भूमि पर राष्ट्रीय स्वयंसेवक संघ के… pic.twitter.com/Y1M8zp85Id
— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) December 12, 2025
Honouring Freedom Fighters’ Legacy
Shah also recalled the historical significance of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, noting that Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose had liberated the islands and stayed there for two days.
He had proposed naming the islands ‘Shaheed’ and ‘Swaraj’, a suggestion implemented by PM Modi.
The Home Minister described the islands as sacred land where freedom fighters from across the country sacrificed their lives.
“From every province, someone or another was hanged here. This very sacred land has now witnessed the unveiling of Savarkar Ji’s statue by Dr Mohan Bhagwat, the leader of the organisation that truly advances his ideology,” he said.
Shah concluded that the land, Savarkar’s memory and the statue’s unveiling together form an eternal tribute to a man whose ideas on national unity, cultural pride and patriotism continue to shape the nation’s identity.
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