Port Blair was named after this British officer: A glimpse into history

Sri Vijaya Puram: Port Blair has been renamed Sri Vijaya Puram by the Central Government to shed the British colonial imprints. The capital city of Andaman and Nicobar islands was named by the British government after naval officer Archibald Blair.

Sri Vijaya Puram: The BJP-led central government on Friday renamed Port Blair, the capital city of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, to Sri Vijaya Puram. The original name was said to carry a colonial legacy, and the reason behind the change is to free the country from British colonial imprints. “Inspired by the vision of PM Narendra Modi Ji, to free the nation from the colonial imprints, today we have decided to rename Port Blair as Sri Vijaya Puram,” Home Minister Amit Shah said on X.

Shah tweeted that Port Blair, now Sri Vijaya Puram symbolises the victory achieved in the freedom struggle, highlighting Andaman and Nicobar Islands unique role in the same.

“The Andaman & Nicobar Islands have an unparalleled place in our freedom struggle and history. The island territory that once served as the naval base of the Chola Empire is today poised to be the critical base for our strategic and development aspirations,” he tweeted.

Highlighting the historical significance of the Andaman & Nicobar Islands, the Home Minister stated that it was the site where Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose first unfurled the Tiranga. The islands also house the Cellular Jail, where Veer Savarkar and other freedom fighters endured hardship in their struggle for India’s independence.

Origin of the City’s Name: Port Blair

The old name of the capital city of Andaman and Nicobar Islands was derived from a British naval officer from the 18th century – Lieutenant Archibald Blair.

The Blair Of Port Blair?

Once a humble fishing village, the city was christened in honour of Archibald Blair, a 18th century Royal Navy Lieutenant. Blair was notably influential in British colonial pursuits and his stake in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands represented a part of the broader British agenda to lay claim in this important territory.

Year 1789 saw the Bengal Government’s move to set up a prison on Chatham Island, found in the southeastern waters of Great Andaman. This act was a nod to the respected Archibald Blair and his impactful contribution.

Blair was instrumental in understanding and developing the Andaman and Nicobar Islands during a time when Britain was keen on exploring these largely unknown lands. He embarked on thorough explorations and laid the groundwork for administrative structures—essential for subsequent colonial progress. Thanks to his dedication, Port Blair became a hub for colonial governance on the islands. His comprehensive maps and thorough evaluations of the area delivered valuable insights, which the British Raj later utilized to reveal the full potential and grandeur of what we now know as Port Blair.

Port Blair holds its name in tribute to a person who was vital to the British colonial work in the Bay of Bengal’s eastern region. As time passed, the port developed into a far-reaching center for military strategies, governance, and trade in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Due to its role as a British operational base, it enabled an efficient control and management of the nearby islands.