In a significant move to eliminate colonial imprints, the central government has renamed Port Blair, the capital of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, to “Sri Vijaya Puram.” Announcing the change, Union Home Minister Amit Shah highlighted the decision as part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision to honor India’s rich history and freedom struggle.
“Port Blair, a name rooted in colonialism, has been replaced with ‘Sri Vijaya Puram,’ which symbolizes victory and pays tribute to the Andaman & Nicobar Islands’ crucial role in India’s freedom movement,” Shah stated. He further emphasized the historical importance of the islands, which witnessed the first hoisting of the Indian flag by Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose and housed the infamous Cellular Jail, where freedom fighters like Veer Savarkar were imprisoned.
The new name draws inspiration from the Sri Vijaya Empire, a dominant maritime power in Southeast Asia from the 7th to 13th centuries. The islands once served as a strategic base for the Chola Empire, and today, they stand at the forefront of India’s strategic development.
Port Blair was originally named after Captain Archibald Blair, a British naval officer who surveyed the Andaman Islands in the late 18th century. The renaming reflects a shift towards celebrating India’s indigenous heritage and its long-standing maritime legacy.
