Why in the News?

Union home minister Amit Shah on Friday announced that Andaman and Nicobar Island's capital Port Blair has been renamed as Sri Vijaya Puram. The renaming was done to "free the nation from colonial imprints" as part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision.

About Sri Vijaya Puram

• It is the capital city of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
• Location: Southern part of South Andaman Island.
• It lies in the Bay of Bengal, approximately 1,300 kilometers from the Indian mainland.
• It is the entry point of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
• History
  • Previously, it was named after Lieutenant Archibald Blair, a British naval officer who served in the early 18^th century.
  • It is the place that hosted the first unfurling of ‘Tiranga’ by Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose.
  • It houses the infamous Cellular Jail, a colonial-era prison used by the British to exile political prisoners.
  • During World War II, the islands, including Port Blair, were briefly occupied by Japan.
• New Name
  • It is drawn its connection from Chola history.
  • In the 11^th century, Rajendra Chola I used the Andaman Islands as a key naval base.
  • He launched a naval expedition against the Srivijaya Empire in present-day Indonesia, defeating King Sangrama Vijayottunggavarman and seizing valuable treasures, solidifying Chola supremacy.
  • The Thanjavur inscriptions (1050 CE) refer to the islands as Ma-Nakkavaram, meaning "great open land," a name that later evolved into the Nicobar Islands.

Influence of Chola Empire in the region

Andaman and Nicobar Islands

• They are a group of over 572 islands in the southeastern part of the Bay of Bengal.
• They are closer to Southeast Asia than to India, with Myanmar to the north and Thailand to the east.
• Over 86% of the territory is covered by tropical rainforests.
• Major Islands: Andaman Islands and Nicobar Islands are the two primary island groups.
  • The Andaman Islands consist of North Andaman, Middle Andaman, South Andaman, and Little Andaman.
  • The Nicobar Islands lie to the south and consist of 22 islands, of which Great Nicobar is the largest.
• The British East India Company annexed the islands in the 1850s.
• After India gained independence, they became part of the newly formed nation in 1950 as a Union Territory.
• Lieutenant Governor: Admiral (Retd. ) Devendra Kumar Joshi
• Saddle Peak is the highest point in the Andaman Islands.
• Tribal groups: Great Andamanese, Onge, Jarwa, Shompen and the Sentinelese.
• Official Languages: English and Hindi
• The Barren Island in the Andaman Sea hosts India’s only active volcano while Narcondam Island is a dormant volcano.
• Protected Species: Saltwater crocodile, Andaman wild boar, Nicobar pigeon and Dugong.
• Protected Areas
  • Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park
  • Campbell Bay National Park
  • Mount Harriet National Park (renamed as Mount Manipur National Park)
  • Galathea National Park
  • Rani Jhansi Marine National Park
  • Saddle Peak National Park
• Wildlife Sanctuaries
  • Barren Island Wildlife Sanctuary
  • Narcondam Island Wildlife Sanctuary
• Duncan passage: Separates the two parts of the Andaman Island groups.
• Ten-degree channel: Separates the Little Andaman and Car Nicobar groups.
• On December 30, 2018, the Government of India renamed three Andaman and Nicobar Islands to honor Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose and commemorate India’s independence struggle.
  • Ross Island renamed as Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Island
  • Neil Island renamed as Shaheed Dweep
  • Havelock Island renamed as Swaraj Dweep

Location of Andaman and Nicobar Islands