Fri Sep 13 15:47:26 UTC 2024: ## Port Blair Renamed ‘Sri Vijaya Puram’ to Honour Freedom Struggle
**New Delhi, India** – In a move to commemorate India’s freedom struggle, the central government has announced the renaming of Port Blair, the capital of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, to “Sri Vijaya Puram”.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah stated that the new name symbolizes the victory achieved in the country’s fight for independence and acknowledges the islands’ unique role in the struggle.
“To free the nation from colonial imprints, today we have decided to rename Port Blair as Sri Vijaya Puram,” Shah said. “The Andaman and Nicobar Islands have an unparalleled place in India’s freedom struggle. It is the place that hosted the first unfurling of Tiranga by Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose.”
Shah also highlighted the significance of the Cellular Jail, located in the islands, where freedom fighter Veer Savarkar and others endured imprisonment during their fight for an independent India.
The islands, once a naval base for the Chola Empire, are now seen as a crucial base for India’s strategic and developmental aspirations.
Port Blair, originally named after a British colonial navy official, is home to several museums, the major naval base INS Jarawa, and sea and air bases of the Indian Coast Guard, Andaman and Nicobar Police, and Andaman and Nicobar Command.
This renaming follows the recent change of names for the Rashtrapati Bhavan’s Durbar Hall and Ashok Hall to Ganatantra Mandap and Ashok Mandap, respectively. The government has stated its intention to ensure the Rashtrapati Bhavan’s ambience reflects Indian cultural values and ethos.
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