Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday announced that the government has decided to rename Port Blair as Sri Vijaya Puram. While announcing, Shah also mentioned that the name Port Blair had colonial legacy while Sri Vijaya Puram symbolises victory through freedom struggle and Andaman and Nicobar's role in it.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi later said 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," PM Modi said.
Amit Shah said that the decision has been taken to free the nation from the colonial imprints as the Andaman and Nicobar Islands have an "unparalleled place" in the country's freedom struggle and history.
"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"," Shah wrote on 'X'.
The home minister said while the earlier name had a colonial legacy, Sri Vijaya Puram symbolises the victory achieved in India's freedom struggle and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands' unique role in it.
"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," he said.
He said the Andaman and Nicobar Islands have an "unparalleled place" in the freedom struggle and history, and the island territory that once served as the naval base of the Chola Empire is now poised to be the critical base for India's strategic and development aspirations.
Port Blair is the capital city of the Union Territory of Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
