Taking a historic decision, the Central Government has renamed Port Blair, the capital of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, as Sri Vijaya Puram. This step has been taken with the aim of honoring the cultural heritage and historical heritage of the country.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah tweeted, Inspired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of freeing the nation of colonial imprints, today we have decided to rename Port Blair as Sri Vijaya Puram. Though the earlier name had a colonial legacy, Sri Vijaya Puram symbolises the victory of our freedom struggle and the unique role of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands in it.
Shah tweeted that inspired by Prime Minister Modi’s resolve to rid the country of all symbols of slavery, today the Home Ministry has decided to name Port Blair as ‘Shri Vijayapuram’. The name ‘Shri Vijayapuram’ reflects our struggle for independence and the contribution of Andaman and Nicobar in it.
This island has a unique place in the independence and history of our country. This island, which played the role of a naval base in the Chola Empire, is today ready to accelerate the security and development of the country. This island is also the place where Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose first hoisted the tricolor and Veer Savarkar and other freedom fighters fought for the independence of Mother India in the Cellular Jail.