The ‘Port Blair‘ has been officially renamed as ‘Sri Vijaya Puram‘ by A & N Administration through Gazette notification dated 14th September 2024
The Government has renamed the capital of Andaman & Nicobar Islands Port Blair as “Sri Vijaya Puram”. The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi emphasised that the name “Sri Vijaya Puram” pays tribute to the heroic people of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and symbolizes a break from colonial legacies.
Reacting to a tweet on X by Home Minister, Shri Amit Shah, Shri 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.” Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, Shri Amit Shah in a post on ‘X’ said, inspired by the vision of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Ji, to free the nation from the colonial imprints, we have decided to rename Port Blair as “Sri Vijaya Puram.” Union Home Minister said that 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. He added that 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. Shri Amit Shah said that 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.