Title: Speculation Arises Over India’s Name Change as G20 Summit Dinner Invites Refer to President as “President of Bharat”
Date: September 6, 2023
New Delhi – The recent issuance of dinner invitations by Indian President Droupadi Murmu, referring to herself as the “President of Bharat,” has sparked conjecture regarding a potential change in the country’s name. The incident, taking place on the sidelines of the G20 summit, has reignited the debate surrounding the official name of India.
Traditionally, invitations from Indian constitutional bodies have utilized the term “India” when drafted in English, and “Bharat” when in Hindi. However, the G20 dinner invites, composed in English, labeled President Murmu as the “President of Bharat.” The President’s office declined to comment on the matter.
Critics have raised concerns, connecting the use of “Bharat” in the invites to the Hindu-nationalist ideology of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government and their efforts to promote the extensive use of Hindi. This has led to suggestions that the government may be seeking an official change in the country’s name. Under Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), colonial names of towns and cities have already been changed to move past what is referred to as a “mentality of slavery”.
The official name of the country varies depending on the language used. In English, it is referred to as India, while other Indian languages also use terms such as Bharat, Bharata, and Hindustan. The English version of the constitution begins with “We, the people of India…” and Part One states, “India, that is Bharat, shall be a Union of States.” In Hindi, the constitution replaces India with Bharat throughout, except for the section that defines the country’s names, which states in Hindi, “Bharat, that is India, shall be a Union of States.”
To change the name of India to solely Bharat, a constitutional amendment would be required, necessitating a two-thirds majority in both houses of parliament.
While the government has not yet confirmed any plans to change the name, the timing of the controversy is noteworthy. This incident follows the government’s surprise announcement of a five-day special parliamentary session later this month, without disclosing its agenda. Unconfirmed reports have mentioned the possibility of a name change being proposed and approved during the session. Officials from the government and the ruling BJP have previously suggested that Bharat should take precedence over India.
The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, the ideological parent organization of the BJP, has consistently advocated for referring to the country as Bharat.
As proponents of the name Bharat argue that “India” was bestowed by British colonizers, historians assert that the name existed long before colonial rule. The term “India” comes from the river Indus, known as Sindhu in Sanskrit. Even before Alexander the Great’s campaign in the 3rd century BCE, travelers from distant lands, including Greece, identified the region southeast of the Indus River as India.
On the other hand, the name Bharat has ancient roots and has been found in ancient Indian scriptures. However, experts suggest that it was primarily used to denote socio-cultural identity rather than geographical boundaries.
The government spokesperson has not provided an immediate response to requests for comment on the matter.
It remains to be seen how this debate will unfold, with historical contexts and political ideologies intertwined in discussions over India’s identity and future.
Contact:
Krishn Kaushik
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