Arunachal Pradesh, one of the northeastern states of India, became a full-fledged State on February 20, 1987. It was formed from the erstwhile North-East Frontier Agency (NEFA) region. The state is known as the 'Land of Rising Sun'. Arunachal Pradesh Foundation Day is celebrated every year on February 20, the day on which the state got its identity. Arunachal Pradesh is the largest of the seven sister states of Northeast India by area, with Itanagar being the state capital. When Is Mizoram Statehood Day 2023? Know the Date, History and Significance of the Day When the State Came Into Existence.

Arunachal Pradesh borders the other northeastern states of Assam and Nagaland to the south and shares international borders with Bhutan in the west, Myanmar in the east, and a disputed border with China in the north at the McMahon Line. The state shares a 1,129 km border with China's Tibet Autonomous Region. On Arunachal Pradesh Foundation Day 2023, let’s learn about the history of the state and the significance of the foundation day in detail.

Arunachal Pradesh Foundation Day 2023 Date

Arunachal Pradesh Foundation Day 2023 will be celebrated on February 20.

Arunachal Pradesh Foundation Day History

The Arunachal Pradesh today was established as the North-East Frontier Agency (NEFA) in 1954, and Sino-Indian relations were cordial until 1960. The main issue that led to the Sino-Indian War in 1962 was the resurgence of the border disagreement. During the 1962 Sino-Indian War, a major part of Arunachal Pradesh was captured and temporarily controlled by the Chinese People's Liberation Army. However, China soon declared victory, withdrew back to the McMahon Line and returned Indian prisoners of war in 1963.

According to historical records, the NEFA was renamed Arunachal Pradesh by Bibhabasu Das Shastri, the Director of Research and K.A.A. Raja, the Chief Commissioner of Arunachal Pradesh, on January 20, 1972, and it became a union territory. Arunachal Pradesh became a state on February 20, 1987, and since then, Arunachal Pradesh Foundation Day has been observed every year to mark the formation of the state.

Arunachal Pradesh Foundation Day Significance

Arunachal Pradesh Foundation Day is an important day in the history of the state. On this day, several events are held across the state to showcase the diversity of the northeastern state. Arunachal Pradesh has the highest diversity of mammals and birds in India. There are around 750 species of birds and more than 200 species of mammals in the state. The culture of Arunachal Pradesh is truly varied as it has 26 major tribes, including sub-tribes, of which every tribe has their own unique set of traditions and customs.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 19, 2023 09:18 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).