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On September 13, the Central Government announced that the name of Port Blair, capital of the Union Territory, Andaman and Nicobar Islands will be changed to Sri Vijaya Puram. This is an effort from the government to get away from the colonial legacy.
Port Blair was named after Captain Archibald Blair, a British colonial navy officer of the East India Company. Union Home Minister Amit Shah took to his social media platform X to share this announcement. He said, “Inspired by the vision of PM Narendra Modiji, to free the nation from the colonial imprints, today we have decided to rename Port Blair as "Sri Vijaya Puram. 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.”
In the post, Shah also emphasized on the historical significance of the place, and also the importance of the region during the Freedom Struggle Movement. “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.”
Inspired by the vision of PM @narendramodi Ji, to free the nation from the colonial imprints, today we have decided to rename Port Blair as "Sri Vijaya Puram."
— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) September 13, 2024
While the earlier name had a colonial legacy, Sri Vijaya Puram symbolises the victory achieved in our freedom struggle…
Several BJP members along with PM Modi acknowledged the decision and shared their views about it. PM Modi wrote, “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.”
In 2018, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that three islands in the Andaman and Nicobar archipelago, Ross Island, Neil Island, and Havelock Island, would be renamed Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Dweep, Shaheed Dweep, and Swaraj Dweep, respectively.