After 'Keralam' nod, BJP MP wants Delhi to be renamed to this to restore heritage
India Today
MP Praveen Khandelwal said renaming Delhi to Indraprastha would reconnect the city with its ancient roots and strengthen national pride and highlight India's civilisational legacy.
A day after the Centre approved the renaming of Kerala as 'Keralam', a BJP MP from Delhi wrote to the central government seeking to change the national capital’s name to Indraprastha, arguing that the move would restore the city’s ancient civilisational identity and reconnect modern India with its historical roots.
In his letter, Chandni Chowk MP Praveen Khandelwal said the name Indraprastha -- associated with the ancient city described in the Mahabharata -- represents the earliest civilisational origin of the capital, whereas the name Delhi reflects a later historical phase. Restoring the ancient name, he said, would symbolise that the seat of the world’s largest democracy stands upon one of humanity’s oldest cultural traditions.
Renaming Delhi as Indraprastha would be a historic step toward restoring the civilisational identity of India's capital. It would strengthen national pride, highlight India's ancient heritage before the world, and create a powerful cultural narrative linking modern India with its timeless past,” the BJP MP wrote.
Khandelwal also noted that the name Indraprastha is already embedded in Delhi’s civic and institutional landscape, with several public institutions using the historic name, reflecting familiarity and acceptance among residents.
Drawing parallels with past renaming exercises, he cited cities such as Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai and Prayagraj, which were renamed to reflect indigenous and historical identities.
According to him, "Such a step would not only correct a historical disconnect but would also reaffirm India's commitment to honouring and preserving the legacy of its great civilisation."
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