LG Honours Vinayak Chamadia for Underwater Guinness Record Events

Sri Vijaya Puram, May 27: Lieutenant Governor Admiral D K Joshi (Retd.) on Tuesday formally honoured IAS officer Vinayak Chamadia with an “On the Spot Commendation” for his role in the successful organisation of two Guinness World Record events conducted earlier this month at Swaraj Dweep, even as newly elected representatives of the Zilla Parishad, North & Middle Andaman, separately called on the Lt Governor at Lok Niwas.

The commendation was presented during a formal ceremony held at Lok Niwas in recognition of Chamadia’s role in planning and executing the Guinness World Record attempts for the “Largest Flag Unfurled Underwater” and the “Tallest Human Stack Underwater,” both organised by the Andaman & Nicobar Administration on May 2 and May 3 respectively.

Chamadia, an IAS officer serving as Director of Information, Publicity & Tourism (IP&T) and Nodal Officer for the events, was recognised for what the Administration described as meticulous planning, seamless coordination and flawless execution of the internationally noted underwater programmes.

The two Guinness World Record attempts, conducted at Swaraj Dweep, had drawn considerable attention for showcasing the islands’ marine environment, adventure tourism potential and event management capabilities on a global platform.

Officials stated that the events involved extensive coordination between multiple departments, divers, safety teams and tourism authorities to ensure compliance with Guinness World Records guidelines while maintaining operational safety and logistical precision.

The “Largest Flag Unfurled Underwater” event involved participants unfurling a massive national flag beneath the sea, while the “Tallest Human Stack Underwater” featured divers creating a multi-level human formation underwater. Both records were certified under Guinness World Records guidelines during the event period.

During the ceremony, the Lt Governor handed over the commendation certificate to Chamadia in the presence of the Chief Secretary and senior officers of the A&N Administration, A&N Police and A&N Forest Department.

The occasion also witnessed the unveiling of the full official video documenting the two Guinness World Record events. According to officials, links to the videos will be released separately for public viewing.

The Administration has projected the twin underwater records as part of broader efforts to strengthen the islands’ tourism profile and position the Andaman & Nicobar Islands as a destination for marine adventure tourism and globally visible events.

The successful conduct of the record attempts had earlier generated widespread public attention across the islands and on social media, with officials describing the initiative as a milestone in destination branding for the Union Territory.

In a separate engagement at Lok Niwas, newly elected Adhyaksh of the Zilla Parishad, North & Middle Andaman, Alagarswamy, along with Up-Adhyaksha Arpona Roy and other Zilla Parishad members, called on the Lt Governor on Tuesday.

The interaction marked the first formal meeting between the newly elected district panchayat leadership and the Lieutenant Governor following their election to the Zilla Parishad body.

While details of the discussions were not officially disclosed, the meeting is understood to have focused on local governance and developmental priorities concerning North and Middle Andaman districts.

The Zilla Parishad functions as the apex rural local body at the district level and plays a key role in coordinating development activities, civic administration and implementation of welfare schemes in rural areas.

Tuesday’s engagements at Lok Niwas reflected both the Administration’s focus on high-visibility tourism initiatives and its ongoing interaction with elected grassroots representatives across the Union Territory.