Port Blair, March 10:  The Lt Governor, Lt Gen (Retd) Bhopinder Singh, today paid rich tributes to all those freedom fighters, who were brought to these Islands during the country’s freedom struggle. At a solemn function held at Chatham Memorial here today, the Lt Governor laid wreath at the memorial followed by paying of floral tributes by others present on occasion. A two minutes silence was also observed on the occasion.   

It was on this day in 1858, that the first batch of 200 freedom fighters arrived at Chatham Island aboard the steam frigate SS Semiramis, marking the beginning of the penal settlement in the Islands. A memorial stands today at Chatham Island in memory of these pioneer freedom fighters of the First War of Independence.