On Friday, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands’ capital city, Port Blair, was renamed “Shri Vijaya Puram” by the Centre in an effort to “free the nation from colonial imprints.” The Andaman & Nicobar Islands can be accessed through Port Blair.
The British colonial navy official for the East India Company, Captain Archibald Blair, is the reason behind the city’s name. The decision was made public by Home Minister Amit Shah. He wrote on X, “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. Andaman and 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.”
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He also added, “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.” Renowned for housing numerous freedom fighters and individuals from other countries, the city is also home to the notorious Cellular Jail National Memorial. Ganatantra Mandap and Asok Mandap, respectively, were the new names given to Rashtrapati Bhavan’s famous “Durbar Hall” and “Ashok Hall” in July.