The decision to rename Port Blair as “Sri Vijaya Puram” reflects a significant shift in the symbolic representation of the Andaman & Nicobar Islands. According to Union Home Minister Shri Amit Shah, the renaming is intended to shed the colonial legacy associated with the former name and to honor the islands’ crucial role in India’s freedom struggle.
In his announcement, Shah emphasized that the new name, “Sri Vijaya Puram,” is inspired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of erasing colonial imprints from Indian history. The choice of the name is meant to symbolize the victory achieved through the freedom struggle and to acknowledge the islands’ historical significance, including their role as a naval base in the Chola Empire, the site of the first unfurling of the Indian flag by Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, and the location of the notorious Cellular Jail where freedom fighters like Veer Savarkar endured hardships.
This renaming aligns with broader efforts to reframe historical narratives and recognize important aspects of India’s past that reflect its sovereignty and cultural heritage.