Home Minister Amit Shah announced the renaming of Port Blair to “Sri Vijaya Puram,” inspired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision to rid the nation of colonial imprints. The new name, Sri Vijaya Puram, reflects the victory of India’s freedom struggle and highlights the unique role that the Andaman and Nicobar Islands played in that journey.
The islands, once the naval base of the Chola Empire, hold a special place in India’s history. They hosted the first unfurling of the Indian flag by Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose and were home to the cellular jail where Veer Savarkar and other freedom fighters endured hardships during the fight for independence.
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
This renaming marks a step towards recognizing the island territory’s strategic and historical significance as India moves forward with its development aspirations.
