BHUBANESWAR: THE Odisha Government on Thursday issued a gazette notification renaming Wheeler Island as APJ Abdul Kalam Island marking the second death anniversary of former President of India.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik officially released the notification of State Revenue and Disaster Management Department after obtaining no-objection from Union Ministry of Home Affairs on July 13.
The notification read: “With a view to paying an humble tribute to the former President of India Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, the State Government renames the Outer Wheeler as APJ Abdul Kalam Island under Chandbali tehsil of Bhadrak district.”
On September 4, 2015, Naveen, in a handwritten note, had announced to rename the island after Kalam as a tribute to the People’s President. Kalam, the first director of the then interim test range in 1982, was the brain behind the establishment of Interim Test Range (ITR).