Official invitations for guests at the G20 summit dinner have sparked speculation that India may be changing its name. The invites refer to Droupadi Murmu as “President of Bharat” instead of the usual “President of India.”
A recent tweet posted by a senior spokesperson of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) also referred to Narendra Modi as the “prime minister of Bharat.”
Bharat, also known as Bharatvarsha, is a term used to refer to the ancient and historical name of India. The term has its roots in the Sanskrit language and is derived from the legendary king Bharata, who is mentioned in Hindu scriptures such as the Mahabharata and the Ramayana.
In ancient times, Bharatvarsha encompassed a vast territory that extended from the Himalayas in the north to the Indian Ocean in the south, and from the present-day Afghanistan in the west to Bangladesh in the east. It was a land of diverse cultures, languages, and religions, with a rich history dating back thousands of years.
The name Bharat holds significant cultural and historical importance in India. It symbolizes the country’s ancient heritage, unity, and continuity, connecting the present-day nation with its past.
The term is often used in various contexts, including literature, art, and official documents, to evoke a sense of national identity and pride.
While India is the most commonly used name for the country, it is often called Bharat and sometimes Hindustan by Indian officials and the public.
Bharat is a Sanskrit term found in scriptures from around 2,000 years ago.
Modi’s Hindu nationalist BJP government has already renamed several cities linked to the Mughal and colonial periods.
Critics see it as an attempt to erase the Muslim Mughals who ruled the country for 300 years.
The opposition party has also warned against removing the country’s long-established name.
“While there is no constitutional objection to calling India ‘Bharat’, which is one of the country’s two official names, I hope the government will not be so foolish as to completely dispense with ‘India’, which has incalculable brand value built up over centuries,” lawmaker Shashi Tharoor posted on X, the site formerly known as Twitter.
“We should continue to use both words rather than relinquish our claim to a name redolent of history, a name that is recognised around the world,” he added.
Countries often change their names for political, geographic and religious reasons. India and Bharat are both names for the same country, officially known as the Republic of India. The name “India” is derived from the Indus River, while “Bharat” is derived from an ancient Sanskrit term for India.
The Constitution of India recognizes both names, with “India” being used for official purposes and “Bharat” being used in Hindi and other Indian languages. However, there is no plan to change the official name of the country from “India” to “Bharat” at this time.
It is worth noting that there have been some calls for the country to be officially renamed as “Bharat” in recent years, particularly among nationalist and Hindu groups.
However, any such change would require a constitutional amendment, which would be a complex and lengthy process.In summary, while “Bharat” is a recognized name for India, there are no current plans to change the official name of the country.
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