Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced on Friday that Port Blair will be renamed as 'Sri Vijaya Puram'. He said that the decision to rename the capital city of the Union Territory of Andaman and Nicobar Islands has been inspired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision to "free the nation from colonial imprints".
"Inspired by the vision of PM Narendra Modi Ji, to free the nation from the colonial imprints, today we have decided to rename Port Blair as "Sri Vijaya Puram," Shah wrote as he announced the Centre's decision on X.
Port Blair was named after Captain Archibald Blair, who was a British colonial navy official of the East India Company. "While the earlier name had a colonial legacy, Sri Vijaya Puram symbolises the victory achieved in our freedom struggle and the A&N Islands' unique role in the same," the Home Minister added.
Shah further stated: "Andaman & Nicobar Islands have an unparalleled place in our freedom struggle and history. The island territory that once served as the naval base of the Chola Empire is today poised to be the critical base for our strategic and development aspirations. It is also the place that hosted the first unfurling of our Tiranga by Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Ji and also the cellular jail in which Veer Savarkar Ji and other freedom fighters struggled for an independent nation."
About Sri Vijaya Puram
The capital city is known for the Cellular Jail National Memorial, which was a prison where many nationals and freedom fighters including Vinayak Damodar Savarkar (Veer Sawarkar), Batukeshwar Dutt, and Yogendra Shukla were imprisoned. The colonial jail, also known as 'Kala Pani', was also used to detain British prisoners at the time of World War II.
It is the entry point of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, known for its beaches, scenic beauty, and water activites like scuba diving, sea cruises, and snorkelling.
In January 2023, the Modi government had changed the name of the local Ross Island to Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Dweep.
Reflects Commitment To Break Free From Colonial Mindset: PM Modi
On Port Blair renamed to 'Sri Vijaya Puram', PM Narendra Modi tweeted: "The name Sri Vijaya Puram honours the rich history and heroic people of Andaman and Nicobar islands. It also reflects our commitment to break free from the colonial mindset and celebrate our heritage."
Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami welcomed the decision and commended the government for its efforts to free India from the "symbols of slavery".
"The decision of the Central Government under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to change the name of Port Blair to "Sri Vijaya Puram" is extremely welcome. The naming of Sri Vijaya Puram is dedicated to highlighting the historical importance and glorious traditions of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The work of freeing the country from the symbols of slavery is commendable. This area has been a witness to the historic moment of hoisting of the tricolour flag by Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose as well as the struggle of Veer Savarkar and other freedom fighters," he stated in a post in Hindi on X.
Union Minister Ramdas Athawale, on the renaming of Port Blair by the government, said: "Port Blair was the colonial name...The new name Sri Vijaya Puram is to commemorate the freedom struggle. This decision by Amit Shah is a welcome step...We support this step..."