Union Home Minister Amit Shah officially announced the renaming of Port Blair, the capital of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, to Sri Vijaya Puram, aligning with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's larger vision to "free the nation from colonial imprints." This renaming is a significant step in shedding the colonial legacy that India inherited, particularly as Port Blair was originally named after Captain Archibald Blair, a British colonial navy officer from the East India Company. Shah remarked that the name Sri Vijaya Puram holds deeper historical significance, symbolizing the victory achieved during India's freedom struggle and honoring the unique role the Andaman and Nicobar Islands played in that struggle.
Amit Shah, in a series of tweets, underscored the importance of this name change, stating that while the former name was a relic of colonial rule, the new name evokes the spirit of triumph and reflects the rich history of the islands. He added that the Andaman and Nicobar Islands were pivotal in the freedom movement, notably as the location where Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose first unfurled the Indian national flag (tiranga). Furthermore, it was home to the Cellular Jail, where Indian freedom fighters like Veer Savarkar and others endured harsh conditions as they fought for independence.
Shah also emphasized the strategic importance of the islands beyond their historical value, stating that the region, once serving as a naval base during the Chola Empire, is now poised to become a key center for India’s strategic and developmental aspirations in the Indian Ocean.
This renaming of Port Blair is not an isolated event but part of a broader initiative by the Narendra Modi government to erase remnants of colonial history and instead highlight India’s indigenous culture and contributions to the fight for independence. In 2018, Prime Minister Modi similarly renamed three significant islands in the Andaman and Nicobar archipelago to honor freedom fighter Subhas Chandra Bose. Ross Island became Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Dweep, Neil Island was renamed Shaheed Dweep, and Havelock Island was changed to Swaraj Dweep, all serving as a tribute to India’s freedom movement and its leaders.
Since assuming office in 2014, the Modi-led government has undertaken numerous efforts to rename locations across India that bore colonial connotations, replacing them with names that reflect the nation’s rich cultural heritage and historical significance. These initiatives are seen as part of a larger push to reclaim Indian history and identity, celebrating the contributions of freedom fighters and other historical figures who played a crucial role in shaping modern India.
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