In 2023, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on the occasion of which of the following day paid tributes to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, and unveiled a grand statue of the 17th century Maratha king at the coastal fort of Sindhugarh, Maharashtra?
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Correct option is D

​The correct answer is (d) Navy Day

Explanation:

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tribute to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and unveiled a grand statue of the 17th-century Maratha king at the Sindhudurg Fort on the occasion of Navy Day on December 4, 2023.
• The event highlighted Shivaji Maharaj's maritime vision and contributions to India's naval legacy. The celebration was especially significant as it was the first time Navy Day was celebrated outside Delhi, at a coastal fort symbolic of India's maritime strength.

Information Booster:

• Navy Day is observed annually on December 4 to commemorate Operation Trident, launched by the Indian Navy during the Indo-Pak war of 1971, which resulted in the destruction of Pakistani vessels near Karachi harbor.
• Sindhudurg Fort was built by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in 1664–67 to curb the rise of foreign colonizers and safeguard the Konkan coastline.
• The Indian Navy's motto is "Sam No Varunah" (शं नो वरुणः)

Additional Knowledge:

• Independence Day (August 15): Celebrates India's freedom from British rule in 1947. The PM addresses the nation from Red Fort, Delhi.
• Nonviolence Day (October 2): Also known as Gandhi Jayanti, marks the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, the pioneer of nonviolent resistance.
• Republic Day (January 26): Celebrates the adoption of the Indian Constitution in 1950. It features a grand parade at Kartavya Path, New Delhi.