Situated off the Malabar coast, Lakshadweep's history dates back to the 11th century, as a part of Late Chola territory, as a vital trade route
It served as a link to the Middle East with Malabar, Ceylon, and Southeast Asia and realized by both Portuguese and Britishers
In 1912, the British Raj passed the Lakshadweep Regulation, diminishing the authority of local Amins/Karanis, but was largely overlooked after India’s independence
Later Muhammad Ali Jinnah realized its 92% Muslim majority, sparking interest from Pakistan to capture islands 2,296 km away from Karachi
Thanks to Sardar Patel's Vigilance, he thwarted the plan by sending the Mudaliar brothers and the Indian Navy to the islands
The Mudaliar brothers, Arcot Ramasamy, the last Dewan of Mysore, and Arcot Lakshmanaswami, the longest-serving Vice-Chancellor of Madras University, ensured the islands' protection
Pakistan had also deployed a ship to seize the islands, but the Indian Navy won the race by unfurling the tricolor on the islands, just before a half hour!
The Iron Man of India’s strategic foresight and immediate actions safeguarded Lakshadweep, which made it a Union Territory under the States Reorganisation Act of 1956