Vice President extols multi-cultural society of A&N Islands

The beautiful territory of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands truly exemplified 'Unity in Diversity' and represented a 'Mini India' with people from various parts of the country as also its indigenous tribes living here in perfect harmony, Vice President Hamid Ansari said today.
"These Islands set an example for the rest of the country to achieve our cherished goal of true national integration," Ansari said praising the unique cohesive multi-cultural and multi-linguistic society of the islands.
Ansari, who is on a four-day visit to the islands, said the Union Territory will be further developed as South East Asia and East Asia growth holding strategic importance as around one third of India's exclusively economic zone falls in this area, Ansari said adding "it is also very close to one of the busiest international sea routes."

Ansari, during a visit to the Green Archipelago, was addressing a civic reception at DBRAIT auditorium here this evening. Reminding the history of the place where the national flag was hoisted first by Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, Ansari said, "Here freedom fighters sacrificed their lives so that we can breathe in the air of a free country."
The Vice President also inspected the exhibits on tribal lifestyles at Andaman & Nicobar Tribal Research Institute (ANTRI) in Port Blair.
Ansari visited ANTRI on the eve of its first anniversary, an official statement said, while adding that he evinced deep interest in the anthropological and cultural aspects of different aboriginal tribes of the Andaman & Nicobar Islands.

Lt Governor of the Union Territory Lt Gen (Retd) A K Singh explained to him the evolution of ANTRI as one of the premier institutes of research on tribal studies in a short span of time. He also explained the differing perceptions on tribal issues among the general public, researchers, pressure groups, NGOs and aspirations of some of the tribes and gave details on the welfare measures being undertaken by the Administration.
Vishwajit Pandya, Honorary Director of ANTRI, made a power-point presentations on tribes like Jarawas, Shompens, Onges and Nicobarese and briefed about the linkages of the tribes with their counterparts in certain other parts of the world, the statement said.