Arunachal Pradesh Foundation Day 2023: History, Significance, and Facts

Arunachal Pradesh Foundation day is celebrated on 20 February every year. Know history, significance, facts here

Arunachal Pradesh Foundation Day 2023 details

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Arunachal Pradesh Foundation Day 2023: Arunachal Pradesh foundation day is celebrated on 20 February every year since 1987. It was in 1987 that one of India’s northeastern states became a full-fledged state.

Earlier Arunachal Pradesh was known as the North-East Frontier Agency (NEFA) since it was created from that territory. The state’s nickname is “Land of the Rising Sun.” It is on 20 February that the state received its name. Let's know about the history, significance, and interesting facts about Arunachal Pradesh.

Arunachal Pradesh Foundation Day 2023: History

It was in 1954 that the North-East Frontier Agency (NEFA) was founded, and until 1960, Sino-Indian ties were amicable. The renewal of the border dispute in 1962 was the primary reason for the Sino-Indian War.

During the 1962 Sino-Indian War, the Chinese army conquered and temporarily ruled a significant portion of Arunachal Pradesh. In 1963, China declared victory, retreated to the McMahon Line, and repatriated Indian prisoners of war.

According to historical sources, Bibhabasu Das Shastri, the Director of Research, and K.A.A. Raja, the Chief Commissioner of Arunachal Pradesh, contacted the NEFA Arunachal Pradesh on 20 January 1972, and it became a union territory. Arunachal Pradeshwas declared as a state on 20 February 1987 and that is why since then Arunachal Pradesh Foundation Day has been celebrated annually to commemorate the state’s establishment.

Arunachal Pradesh Foundation Day 2023: Significance & Interesting Facts

Arunachal Pradesh Foundation Day is one of the most important events in the state’s history and several events are organized across the state on this day to highlight the uniqueness of the northeastern state.

• People can witness India’s greatest variety of mammals and birds in Arunachal Pradesh. The state is home to around 750 species of birds and over 200 species of animals.

• Arunachal Pradesh includes 26 major tribes, including sub-tribes, each with its own set of traditions and customs, thus making people witness a truly diverse culture.

• The state capital of Arunachal Pradesh is Itanagar and the state is the largest of the seven sister states of Northeast India in terms of land area.

• Arunachal Pradesh shares international borders with Bhutan in the west, Myanmar in the east, and a disputed border with China at the McMahon Line in the north.

• In the south, it is bordered by the northeastern states of Assam and Nagaland.

• The state’s border with China’s Tibet Autonomous Region is 1,129 kilometers long.