How did Indira Point submerge?

  • During the 2004 tsunami, the southernmost point of the Indian Union, ‘Indira Point’, was submerged in seawater due to the tsunami.
  • Indira Point is a township in the Nicobar district of Andaman and the Nicobar Islands. Previously, it was known as Pygmalion Point or Parsons Point. This is the southernmost point of the country. Before the earthquake, the lighthouse was at its highest point at Indira Point, the southernmost point of Great Nicobar Island. It is now submerged, indicating 3–4 meters of land subsidence.

Indira Point – Southernmost Point of India

Indira Point is the southernmost point of India or the last landmass of India. It is located on Great Nicobar Island in the Indian Union territory of Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Indira Point is located at 6°4′ north latitude, about 150 kilometers away from Sumatra, Indonesia. Indira Point was earlier known as Pygmalion Point. It came to be known as Indira Point after the late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi visited this place.

In this article, we will discuss What is Indira Point – The Southernmost Point of India (Pygmalion Point), Indira Point history, important facts about this point, Indira Point Lighthouse, etc.

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What is Indira Point?

Indira Point, located at the southernmost tip of Great Nicobar Island, is the southernmost point of India. Indira Point is located on the island of Sumatra, south of Nicobar Island. It is famous for many reasons and has undergone many changes as per the demands of nature, along with the island and the country of India. The entire island covers an area of approximately 1,045 square kilometers, has a population of approximately 9,440 humans, and is largely covered with rainforests containing a variety of wildlife....

Overview on Indira Point

Feature Description Name Indira Point (formerly known as Pygmalion Point) Location Southern tip of Great Nicobar Island, Nicobar Islands, India Coordinates Approximately 6.747°N latitude, 93.842°E longitude Significance Southernmost point of the Indian subcontinent Named After Named in honor of former Indian Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi Geographical Characteristics Rocky headland with a lighthouse 2004 Event Severely affected by the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami Submergence Submerged due to coastal erosion and tsunami impact Current Status Underwater, no longer a distinct landmass Environmental Impact Loss of landmass, coastal reshaping Strategic Importance Previously served as a navigational landmark Historical Significance Symbolic representation of India’s southernmost point Cultural Impact Featured in tourism and geographical discussions Future Outlook Likely to remain submerged, subject to further environmental changes...

Has Indira Point Submerged?

Indira Point, located at the southernmost tip of the Nicobar Islands in India, was once a prominent geographical feature. However, it has undergone significant changes over the years, particularly due to coastal erosion and the devastating 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami....

History of Indira Point

The southernmost point of India is Indira Point. Indira Point is also known as Pygmalion Point or Parsons Point. Pygmalion Point is located about 163 kilometers from Rondo Island in the Great Nicobar district. Indira Point was opened to the public on April 30, 1972. After a visit to Great Nicobar Island and the popular Pygmalion Point, former Prime Minister of India Rajiv Gandhi renamed it Indira Point after his mother. However, the official naming ceremony took place on October 10, 1985, after the death of Mrs. Indira Gandhi. The history of Indira Point, India’s southernmost point, is marked by a tragedy on January 26, 2004. The earthquake and tsunami killed 16 to 20 families living near the lighthouse. Due to this, four Indian scientists doing research on leatherback sea turtles also died....

Indira Point Lighthouse

Indira Point Lighthouse is located at the southernmost tip of the Indian Union territory of Andaman and Nicobar Islands and is an important landmark on the international shipping lane on the Colombo-Singapore route. Down south is Sumatra (Indonesia), which is separated by 60 miles of sea. The enclave on which the lighthouse stands was formerly known as Pygmalion Point. It was renamed Indira Point in honor of the late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. This announcement was made by the local Member of Parliament on February 19, 1984, and the official naming ceremony took place on October 10, 1985. Indira Point is part of Great Nicobar Island and is connected to Campbell Bay Port by a 45-kilometer-long causeway. Great Nicobar is the largest of the 19 islands in the Nicobar group. It has many mountains and hills; the highest among them is Mount Thuillier (642 m), and three perennial rivers—Galathea, Alexandria, and Dogmar—flow through these mountains. The island receives 3125 mm of rainfall, so it is densely forested, with cane and bamboo in abundance. The Shompens (150) and Great Nicobarese (250) are the natives of this island. Ex-servicemen and other mainlanders are also settled here. M/s BBT Paris supplied the complete lighting equipment consisting of a cast iron tower and third-order optic assembly rotated by DA gas, a mercury float pedestal system, a lantern house, etc. Indira Point Lighthouse was inaugurated in April 1972 by Shri GS Pathak, the then Vice President of India. The tsunami, which was located 500 kilometers north of the epicenter of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake, reduced the height of Indira Point by 4.25 meters after the earthquake, and many residents went missing in the tsunami that followed. Sixteen to twenty families living at Indira Point Lighthouse and the Lighthouse Quarter and four scientists studying leatherback sea turtles went missing. After this incident, a 4.25-meter part of the lighthouse tower was submerged in seawater. The unmanned lighthouse tower is a 35-meter-tall cast iron tower painted in a white and red band scheme and has an LED flasher light powered by batteries and solar panels. Construction of M/s Tideland’s “Recon” and transmitting code “G” was added to the LH tower on January 20, 2005. Access to this lighthouse is only by sea; one can take a departmental ship or a chartered ship to the anchorage, then use a mechanized dinghy to the shore, and then walk to the lighthouse....

Pygmalion point

Pygmalion Point is the former name of Indira Point, which marks the southernmost point of India. It is located in Great Nicobar, in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. There are many Magnetic Hills in the world, but in India, they are located in Leh. Here the downward slope appears to be upward, and while driving the car, it feels as if the car is rising upwards due to the magnetic properties of the hills, which is an illusion. Point Calimere is located at the beginning of the Coromandel Coast in Tamil Nadu and is the upper part of the Kaveri River Delta. Pygmalion Point was known for the Chola Light House, which was destroyed by the tsunami in 2004. False Divi Point is the northern end of the Coromandel Coast in Andhra Pradesh, a delta of the Krishna River known for mangroves....

How did Indira Point submerge?

During the 2004 tsunami, the southernmost point of the Indian Union, ‘Indira Point’, was submerged in seawater due to the tsunami. Indira Point is a township in the Nicobar district of Andaman and the Nicobar Islands. Previously, it was known as Pygmalion Point or Parsons Point. This is the southernmost point of the country. Before the earthquake, the lighthouse was at its highest point at Indira Point, the southernmost point of Great Nicobar Island. It is now submerged, indicating 3–4 meters of land subsidence....

Interesting facts about Indira Point

There is a 23-kilometer stretch from Rameshwaram to Arichalamanai. People believe that this strip is a part of Ram Setu and has been present here since then. As soon as Arichalamanai ends, the vast ocean is visible all around. A lighthouse is located at Indira Point, which provides light and direction to ships sailing from India to Malaysia and Malacca. The Bay of Bengal looks quite calm from Indira Point, but there are strong winds in the Gulf of Mannar. There is a saying related to this: when Lord Rama was searching for a way through the sea to reach Sri Lanka but the sea refused to do so, then Lord Rama lifted his bow to dry up the sea. But later, the ocean accepted the request, calmed down, and gave way to Lord Rama. Since then, one side of the sea has been calm, and Ram Setu is situated on this side. Indira Point was earlier known as Pygmalion Point and Parsons Point. On February 19, 1984, when the Indian Prime Minister visited the place, a local MP suggested renaming the place. The official naming ceremony took place on October 10, 1985, after the death of Mrs. Indira Gandhi. Sri Lanka’s Talaimannar Island is just 20 kilometers away. Far away from Indira Point. Dhanushkodi is the last Indian city in the Indian region. There is no settlement beyond Dhanushkodi; only the road leads to Ramsethu Point. The geography of this place changed due to the tsunami in December 2004. The tsunami reduced the height of Indira Point by 4.25 meters. According to the Census of 2011, only four families live here. The total population of these families is 27 people, and the literacy rate is 85%. The height of Indira Point is 47 meters above sea level. Galathea National Park is a national park located in the Indian Union territory of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Andaman and Nicobar Islands have only one airport, Port Blair....

Conclusion

Indira Point Lighthouse was put into operation on April 30, 1972....

FAQs: What is Indira Point – The Southernmost Point of India

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