Neil Island
{{Short description|Island in the Andaman Islands of India}}
{{Use Indian English|date=September 2016}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2016}}
{{Infobox islands
| name = Shaheed Dweep
| native_name =
| native_name_link =
| native_name_lang =
| image_name = Keshet_neal_island_india.jpg
| image_size =
| image_caption = Shaheed Dweep
| image_alt =
| map = India Andaman and Nicobar Islands#India
| map_alt =
| map_width =
| map_caption =
| coordinates = {{coord|11.83|N|93.04|E|region:IN-AN_type:isle_dim:50000_source:GNS-enwiki|display=inline,title}}
| etymology =
| location = Bay of Bengal
| archipelago = Andaman Islands
| waterbody = Indian Ocean
| area_km2 = 13.7
| rank =
| length_km = 3.7
| width_km = 6.3
| coastline_km = 19.4
| elevation_m = 101
| elevation_footnotes = {{cite enroute|173|2017|284}}
| highest_mount = Nipple Hill
| country = {{flag|India}}
| country_admin_divisions_title = District
| country_admin_divisions = South Andaman
| country_admin_divisions_title_1 = Island group
| country_admin_divisions_1 = Andaman Islands
| country_admin_divisions_title_2 = Island sub-group
| country_admin_divisions_2 = Ritchie's Archipelago
| country_admin_divisions_title_3 = Tehsil
| country_admin_divisions_3 = Port Blair Tehsil
| country_largest_city = Neil Kendra
| country_largest_city_population = 1000
| population = 3040
| population_as_of = in 2011
| population_footnotes =
| population_rank =
| population_rank_max =
| density_km2 = 222.00
| density_rank =
| density_footnotes =
| ethnic_groups = Hindu, Andamanese
| timezone1 = IST
| utc_offset1 = +5:30
| timezone1_DST =
| utc_offset1_DST =
| postal_code_type = PIN
| area_code_type = Telephone code
| area_code = 031927{{cite web|url=http://allcodesindia.in/stdcode/andaman+and+nicobar.php |publisher=allcodesindia.in|title=STD Codes of Andaman and Nicobar|access-date=2016-09-23}}
| website = {{URL|http://www.and.nic.in/}}
| iso_code_type = ISO code
| iso_code = IN-AN-00Registration Plate Numbers added to ISO Code
|additional_info = {{Infobox|child=yes
| label2 = Literacy | data2 = 84.4%
| label3 = Avg. summer temperature| data3 ={{convert|30.2|°C|°F}}
| label4 = Avg. winter temperature| data4 ={{convert|23.0|°C|°F}}
| label5 = Sex ratio| data5 =1.2♂/♀
| label7 = Census code| data7 = 35.639.0004
| label8 = Official languages| data8 = Hindi, English
}}
}}
Shaheed Dweep ({{trans|Martyr's Island}}), formerly known as Neil Island, is an island of the Andaman Islands, located in Ritchie's Archipelago. It belongs to the South Andaman administrative district, part of the Indian union territory of Andaman and Nicobar Islands.{{Cite web|url=http://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011-VillageDirectory/Directory/short_code_rural_35.pdf|title=Village Code Directory: Andaman & Nicobar Islands|publisher=Census of India|access-date=2011-01-16}} The island is located {{convert|36|km|0|abbr=on}} northeast from Port Blair.
Etymology
Neil Island was named after British Brigadier general James Neill, who had fought on the side of the British East Indian company in the Sepoy Mutiny of 1857.
In December 2018, it was renamed as Shaheed Dweep as a tribute to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. Bose had hoisted the Indian flag at Port Blair on 30 December 1943 and proclaimed the Andaman and Nicobar Islands as territories liberated from British rule. He had subsequently named Andaman Island as Shaheed and Nicobar Island as Swaraj.{{cite news |author1=Ananya Bhardwaj |title=Andaman’s most-visited islands to be renamed during PM Modi visit |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/3-andaman-islands-to-get-new-names/story-NC3sWdg8oHAP6sLyXDBEeI.html |access-date=31 December 2018 |work=Hindustan Times |date=25 December 2018 |language=en}}
History
Shaheed Dweep, then Neil Island, was uninhabited until the arrival of settlers in the late 1960s. Like Swaraj Dweep, then Havelock, the vast majority of settlers at Shaheed Dweep were refugees from erstwhile East-Pakistan, following the exodus of Hindu Bangladeshis prior to that country's war of independence in 1971.
On 30 December 2018, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that Neil Island would be renamed as Shaheed Dweep.{{cite news |title=PM Narendra Modi renames 3 islands of Andaman Nicobar |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/pm-narendra-modi-renames-3-islands-of-andaman-nicobar/articleshow/67311660.cms |access-date=31 December 2018 |work=The Times of India |date=30 December 2018}}
Geography
The island belongs to the Ritchie's Archipelago and is located between Havelock Island and Rose Island.
It is a comparatively flat island, and much of the landmass was deemed suitable for paddy cultivation. Unfortunately, as a result of this, very little forest cover remains at Shaheed, and almost all of it is concentrated in the reserve forest on Shaheed's north-western side.
Shaheed Dweep tends to remain a degree or two warmer than Havelock as a result of the lack of forest cover.{{Citation needed|date=November 2017}}
Administration
Politically, Shaheed Dweep is part of Neil Kendra panchayat, of Port Blair Taluk.{{cite web |url=http://andssw1.and.nic.in/ecostat/basicstatPDF2013_14/1.Demogrpahy.pdf |publisher=andssw1.and.nic.in |title=DEMOGRAPHIC – A&N ISLANDS |access-date=2016-09-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170828015509/http://andssw1.and.nic.in/ecostat/basicstatPDF2013_14/1.Demogrpahy.pdf |archive-date=28 August 2017 |url-status=dead }}
Demographics
The population of 3040 lives in five villages, listed below, with population at 2011 census in parentheses:{{cite web|url=http://www.censusindia.gov.in/PopulationFinder/Sub_Districts_Master.aspx?state_code=35&district_code=01|title=Census of India: Sub-District Details}}
- Sitapur (274)
- Bharatpur (629)
- Neil Kendra (1000)
- Lakshmanpur (382)
- Ram Nagar (755)
Transport
There is a jetty at Neil Kendra, which serves as the only access point of the island.
There are regular Government ferry from Port Blair to Shaheed Dweep.
There are private cruise ships such as Makruzz, Green Ocean, Nautika and ITT Majestic.
Economy
Agriculture is the primary occupation of the villagers, and the island supplies vegetables to the rest of Andaman. Neil Island is known for its organic cultivation and provides much of the organic produce to remaining part of the islands.
Image gallery
File:Natural Bridge, Neil Island, Andaman, India.JPG|Hawrah Natural Bridge, Neil Island.
File:Shaheed Island, Andamans, Mangrove beach, Wilderness.jpg|Mangrove trees
File:Shaheed Island, Andaman Islands, Tropical beach.jpg|Tropical beach
File:Neil Island - Bharatpur beach as seen from jetty.jpg|Bharatpur beach as seen from jetty
File:Shaheed Island, Andamans, Interior jungle.jpg|Interior forest
File:Andaman Islands, Full moon night, Forest by the sea at night.jpg|Forest by the sea at night
File:Entry to Niel Island from Bharatpur Jetty, Andaman Island, India.JPG|Entry to Neil Island from Bharatpur Jetty.
File:Bharathpur Jetty.JPG|Bharathpur Jetty
File:Ritchies Archipelago locale.png|Ritchie's Archipelago within the Andaman Islands
File:Ritchie's Archipelago Neil Island.png|Neil Island within Ritchie's Archipelago
File:Andamane 7 1250001-1.jpg|Neil Island on 26 December 2004, after earthquake and tsunami
References
{{Wikivoyage|Neil Island}}
{{Portal|India|Islands}}
{{reflist|2}}
External links
{{Commons category-inline|Neil Island}}
- [https://www.andamantourism.gov.in/Brochures/Neil_Brochure.pdf Neill Island brochure at Andaman Tourism]
{{South Andaman district |state=collapsed}}
Category:Ritchie's Archipelago
Category:Islands of South Andaman district
Category:Islands of the Andaman Sea
Category:Populated places in India
Category:Islands of the Bay of Bengal
{{DEFAULTSORT:Neill Island}}