Recently, Port Blair, the capital of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, has been renamed to Sri Vijaya Puram by the Indian government. This change, announced on September 13, 2024, is part of a broader initiative led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to eliminate colonial-era names from Indian landmarks. The new name reflects India’s rich history and is inspired by the legacy of the Chola Empire, which once used the Andaman Islands as a naval base.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah highlighted that this renaming honors the crucial role the islands played during India’s freedom struggle, particularly noting the Cellular Jail, where freedom fighters like Veer Savarkar were imprisoned, and the historic unfurling of the Indian national flag by Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose (India Today) (Gulte).
This renaming is part of a larger effort by the government to promote India’s cultural heritage and break free from colonial influences. Other islands in the Andaman archipelago have also been renamed in recent years to honor national icons(India Today).
Early History
Port Blair and the Andaman Islands were originally inhabited by indigenous tribes, including the Andamanese, Nicobarese, and Onges, who lived in isolation for thousands of years. European interest in the islands began with the arrival of British colonial powers in the 18th century.
Colonial Era
The history of modern Port Blair starts with its colonial significance. In 1789, the British East India Company established a settlement on Chatham Island near Port Cornwallis, primarily to use the islands as a penal colony and naval base to monitor French naval activity in the Indian Ocean. However, the settlement was abandoned due to high mortality rates and harsh conditions.
In 1858, after the Revolt of 1857 (India’s First War of Independence), the British re-established a penal colony in Port Blair. This became one of the most notorious colonial jails, with the infamous Cellular Jail (Kala Pani) built between 1896 and 1906. It was used to incarcerate many Indian freedom fighters, including prominent leaders like Vinayak Damodar Savarkar and Batukeshwar Dutt. The Cellular Jail became a symbol of colonial oppression and India’s struggle for independence.
Role in World War II
During World War II, the Japanese occupied the Andaman Islands in 1942. They controlled Port Blair for almost three years until 1945. During this time, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose visited the islands, raising the Indian national flag for the first time in Indian territory under his Azad Hind Government in December 1943. This act solidified the islands’ importance in India’s independence movement.
Post-Independence
After India’s independence in 1947, Port Blair became the administrative center of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The Cellular Jail was later converted into a national memorial in honor of the sacrifices made by the freedom fighters imprisoned there.
Renaming to Sri Vijaya Puram (2024)
In September 2024, the central government renamed Port Blair to Sri Vijaya Puram. This decision was part of an effort to eliminate colonial-era names and honor India’s indigenous history and contributions to the freedom struggle. The new name reflects the islands’ historical connection to the Chola Empire and the larger cultural legacy of the region(Gulte)(India Today).
Port Blair continues to be a significant tourist destination and a strategic naval base for India, representing both a gateway to the natural beauty of the Andaman Islands and a reminder of India’s historical fight for freedom.
