Will India change its name to Bharat? Here’s a list of countries that changed their names

With the ruling government focusing on renaming the cities and places that were linked to the Mughal and colonial periods, changing India to Bharat won’t be a surprise

Will India follow in the footsteps of countries like Turkey, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, and others and rename India to Bharat?

Controversy erupted after the Indian government referred to India as Bharat on the official invitations to the G20 summit, leaving questions on whether India’s name would be changed to Bharat.

In the G20 official dinner invitation, President Droupadi Murmu was referred to as ‘President of Bharat’ instead of ‘President of India.’

The name India was inherited from the country’s former British overlords, the name Bharat derives from Sanskrit and emanates an ancient sanctity.

With the ruling government focusing on renaming the cities and places that were linked to the Mughal and colonial periods, changing India to Bharat won’t be a surprise.

Last year, the BJP government renamed the Mughal Garden at the president’s house in New Delhi Amrit Udyan.

The speculations gained momentum after the center called for a special parliamentary session on September 18–22 without announcing the agenda. This also drew massive criticism from the opposition parties.

Changing a country’s name is not a new thing. Earlier, many countries changed their names due to political, cultural, and social factors.

List of countries that changed their names

Turkey to Turkiye

Last year, Turkey was renamed Turkiye by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to better represent the nation’s culture and civilization globally.

Ceylon to Sri Lanka

Island country Sri Lanka previously, Ceylon changed its name in 1972 and declared itself a republic. The name Sri Lanka means “resplendent land” in Sinhalese, emphasizing the country’s natural beauty. The country was renamed to reflect the country’s multicultural identity and reduce associations with its colonial past under British rule.

Burma to Myanmar

In 1889, Burma, a Southeast Asian nation, was renamed Myanmar by the ruling military junta. Burma was named after the dominant Burman ethnic group in the country. However, in 1889, the ruling junta brutally suppressed a pro-democracy uprising, and the military leaders changed its name to Myanmar.

Meanwhile, a few countries, including the United States, continued to refer to the country as Burma due to concerns over human rights abuses and the lack of a democratic transition.

East Pakistan to Bangladesh

East Pakistan was renamed Bangladesh after it declared its independence from West Pakistan following a brutal war in 1971, leading to the creation of a new nation, ‘Bangladesh’. The name Bangladesh reflects the linguistic majority in the country.

The Republic of Macedonia to North Macedonia

In 2019, the Republic of Macedonia, a country in Southeast Europe, was renamed North Macedonia. The renaming ended the long-standing dispute with Greece, which objected to the use of the name “Macedonia” because it also has a region with the same name.

On June 12, 2018, an agreement was reached after a referendum was held in Macedonia, with voters overwhelmingly affirming support for EU and NATO membership by accepting the Prespa agreement.

Siam to Thailand

 Thailand, formerly Siam, was changed in 1939 to maintain the nation’s unity and identity in the face of increasing Western colonial influence in Southeast Asia. “Thailand” means “Land of the Free” and was chosen to emphasize the country’s independence and the Thai people’s sense of national pride.

Zaire to the Democratic Republic of the Congo

The Democratic Republic of the Congo underwent multiple changes in its name from Congo Free State to Belgian Congo, Congo-Leopoldville, Republic of Congo, Republic of Zaire, and finally, the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 1997.

The change sought to distance the country from the authoritarian regime of Mobutu Sese Seko, who had ruled as a dictator for over three decades. The new name emphasized the return to a democratic system of governance.

Persia to Iran

In 1935, Persia was renamed Iran after Reza Shah became the new king to signify a new beginning. Iran made its allegiance clear to the world by changing Persia’s name to Iran or Arya, which means Land of the Aryans. Persia, or Iran, had been greatly impacted by the Soviet Union and Great Britain before 1935.

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