The Centre renamed the Andaman and Nicobar Islands capital, Port Blair as ‘Shri Vijaya Puram’ to “free the nation from colonial imprints.” The port was till now named after Captain Archibald Blair, a British colonial navy officer of the East India Company, who was in charge when the British established their penal colony in the islands.
Home Minister Amit Shah announced the new name on X: “While the earlier name had a colonial legacy, Sri Vijaya Puram symbolizes the victory achieved in our freedom struggle and the A&N Islands’ unique role in the same.”
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."
While the earlier name had a colonial legacy, Sri Vijaya Puram symbolises the victory achieved in our freedom struggle…
— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) September 13, 2024
Shah pointed out the great place these islands have in India’s history, being the erstwhile naval base of the Chola Empire: “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.”
Cellular Jail National Memorial is a proud monument in the town that was once an arrest place for many freedom fighters. To get rid of the remnants of colonialism, the Centre has recently rechristened ‘Durbar Hall’ and ‘Ashok Hall’ at Rashtrapati Bhavan to ‘Ganatantra Mandap’ and ‘Ashok Mandap.’ The Indian Navy has also abolished the carrying of batons and has modernized its insignia to more closely resemble the culture of India.