The name ‘Andaman’ was derived from the character name ‘Hanuman’ of ‘Ramayana’ – one of the holy books of the Hindus.
Governor General of India Lord Cornwallis was very much interested to establish colony in these islands. The East India Company decided to establish a colony on the Andamans. In the year 1788 A.D., Lt. Archibold Blair was appointed by the East India Company to survey the Andaman Sea. He reached Andamans in the year 1789 A.D. & stayed here along with many peoples and named the Port after the name of the present Governor Lord Cornwallis.
After revolt of 1857 against the British Empire, the Britishers started to establish these sectors. British government decided to shift the revolutionaries in these remote Islands as open prisoners.
Port Cornwallis had been renamed Port Blair by the end of the 18th Century in recognition of the services rendered by Capt. Archibold Blair.
These Islands were under Japanese rule from 23rd March 1942 to 24th October 1945. As a result of the Second World War, Japan was forced to surrender; and that was the end of Japan rule in these Islands too. The administration of these islands again passed into the hands of British on 25th October 1945. The Britishers rule came to an end with the independence of India.