Brief History of Fort William:
- Built by the British (1696) – Constructed by the British East India Company in Kolkata to protect trade interests.
- Captured by Siraj-ud-Daulah (1756) – The Nawab of Bengal attacked and seized Fort William, leading to the infamous Black Hole of Calcutta incident.
- Rebuilt by the British (1757-1781) – After the Battle of Plassey (1757), the British recaptured Bengal and built a stronger fort near the Hooghly River.
- Key British Military Base – Served as a major garrison and administrative hub for the British in colonial India.
- Current Use (Indian Army HQ) – Today, it serves as the Eastern Command headquarters of the Indian Army, restricting public access.
Name Change:
- To move away from colonial influences in the armed forces, Fort William has been renamed Vijay Durg.
- The new name of Vijay Durg comes from one of the oldest forts on the Sindhudurg coast in Maharashtra.
- It served as a key naval base for the Marathas under Chhatrapati Shivaji.
Why in News?
- The name of the British era-Fort William was changed to Vijay Durg in February 2025.

