William Shakespeare, in his renowned play “Romeo and Juliet,” once famously uttered the words, “What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell just as sweet,” to emphasize the insignificance of names. However, in reality, naming conventions carry substantial importance. The rumour that the government is considering changing our country’s name from “India” to “Bharat” has ignited an unprecedented row. This controversy arose after our honourable president referred to herself as the “President of Bharat” in a dinner invitation to foreign delegates at the ongoing G20 summit. The opposition block has grown increasingly critical of this rumour as they coined their alliance name with an abbreviation “I.N.D.I.A.”. Sashi Tharoor, the prominent congress leader, has even proposed a change in their alliance name from “I.N.D.I.A.” to “B.H.A.R.A.T.” Providing more context to the development, the United Nations spokesperson has also commented that they entertain requests for country name changes when they are received.
On the other hand, the Supreme Court made it explicitly clear in 2016 that it is an individual’s prerogative to choose between “Bharat” and “India” based on personal preference. In this context, our honourable President’s choice is entirely personal and does not necessarily reflect the government’s intention. As a citizen, I also prefer to use “Bharat” over “India.” When we utter the word “Bharat,” we naturally feel a connection to the common cultural heritage shared by millions of people on this subcontinent for thousands of years and it is an obvious source of pride. In contrast, the term “India” can evoke a sense of a dismaying geopolitical boundary forcibly imposed by the Britishers upon us as a legacy of colonial dominance. It’s worth noting that many Bharatiya nationalists considered the word “India” derogatory during our freedom struggle. Classical Indian literature of the pre-colonial era never utilized the term “India.” “Bharat” has been the name of our land since the time immemorial. Interestingly, the Sanskrit meaning of “Bharat” is the “Continuous saga for wisdom,” which rightfully reflects the essence of our culture and tradition. Therefore, the unnecessary controversy surrounding this issue should be put to rest.
Ranjan Das, Assistant Professor
Patkai Christian College
(Autonomous)
