The government has changed the name of Port Blair, the capital of the Union Territory of Andaman and Nicobar, to ‘Shri Vijayapuram’ after 234 years. Giving this information, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said that the name ‘Shri Vijayapuram’ reflects our struggle for independence and the contribution of Andaman and Nicobar in it.
The Origin of the Name ‘Port Blair’
- Port Blair was named after Archibald Blair, a British naval surveyor who explored the Andaman Islands in the late 1700s. Originally, the place was called Port Cornwallis, named after Commodore William Cornwallis, a British naval officer.
- However, it was later renamed to honor Blair, who conducted a thorough survey of the area.
Colonial History of the Andaman Islands
- During the British colonial period, the East India Company wanted to use the Andaman Islands as a strategic location for military purposes. They also needed a safe harbor from pirates in the region.
- After the Revolt of 1857, the British established a penal colony on the islands, where they sent many prisoners, including freedom fighters.
Port Blair to Sri Vijaya Puram
- The British named Port Blair after a British colonial Navy official, Captain Archibald Blair. In 1788, the East India Company appointed Captain Blair to survey the Andaman Islands and the Chagos Archipelago. Captain Archibald Blair arrived in Andaman in 1789.
- The new name Sri Vijaya Puram has been inspired by the Sri Vijaya Empire, which flourished between the 7th and 13th centuries AD in Southeast Asia (present-day Indonesia). It was a powerful Buddhist maritime empire with links to India.
- Andaman was also once the naval base of the Chola Empire.The name has been changed to reflect the role and importance of the Andaman and Nicobar in India’s freedom struggle.
Importance of Andaman and Nicobar in freedom struggle
- Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, the Supreme Commander of the Azad Hind Fauz, hoisted the Indian national flag in Port Blair on 30 December 1943 and declared its Independence from the British.
- Andaman &Nicobar also has a three-storey Cellular jail, which was constructed in 1906 to imprison Indian freedom fighters like Veer Savarkar. It is also famous as Kaala Pani.
Renaming of Islands in Andaman and Nicobar
- During the visit of Prime Minister Nardenra Modi to the Andaman Nicobar in June 2018 the name of the major islands were changed .
- Ross Islands was renamed as Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Dweep, Neil Island was renamed as Shaheed Dweep and Havelock Island renamed as Swaraj Dweep.
- Again on 23 January 2023, on the occasion of the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose birthday, which is celebrated as Parakram Diwas, the government of India renamed 21 largest unnamed islands of Andaman & Nicobar Islands after 21 Param Vir Chakra awardee.
Andaman and Nicobar Islands
- Andaman and Nicobar islands is an archipelago consisting of 836 islands/Islets/Rocky Outcrops of which 213 are inhabited.
- It lies in the Indian ocean and comprises two island groups – the Andaman Islands and the Nicobar Islands.
- The Andman islands are separated from the Nicobar islands by 10° North latitude .
- The total area of the Andaman Islands is 6,408 sq.km and Nicobar Islands is 1,841 sq. km.
- It became an Union Territory in 1956.
- Lieutenant Governor : Devendra Kumar Joshi
- Capital :Sri Vijaya Puram