Recently, the Union Home Minister of India said that Port Blair will be renamed as ‘Sri Vijaya Puram’.

Port Blair – Key Notes for RAS Exam: Location & Importance: Capital of Andaman and Nicobar Islands; located on the east coast of South Andaman Island. Historical Significance: Named after Archibald Blair, a British naval surveyor who carried out the first thorough survey of the Andaman Islands. Hosted the first unfurling of the Indian national flag by Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose.

Chola Dynasty Connection: The 11th-century Chola emperor Rajendra I used the Andaman Islands as a naval base to attack Srivijaya (modern-day Indonesia). Referred to as Ma-Nakkavaram land in the 1050 CE inscription found at Thanjavur. This invasion was a major event, marking a rare instance of military conflict between India and Southeast Asia, otherwise culturally influenced by India.