​11 Indian states and UTs that have seen their names changed since independence

Jun 25, 2024

By: Kunal Kambli

Credit: BCCL

Kerala to Keralam?

India’s southern state of Kerala appears on the verge of being renamed to ‘Keralam’, following the recent unanimous passing of the resolution by the state assembly.

Credit: BCCL

Swipe!

Ahead of that prospective name change, here’s a look-back at the 11 Indian states and territories that have seen their names changed since independence.

Credit: BCCL

East Punjab to Punjab

After the Radcliffe Commission's 1947 partition of East Punjab, the Muslim areas became Pakistan’s West Punjab, while the Hindu and Sikh regions remained with India. In 1950, the province was officially renamed Punjab.

Credit: BCCL

United Provinces to Uttar Pradesh

Post-independence, the princely states of Rampur, Banaras (now Varanasi) and Tehri-Garhwal were integrated into the United Provinces. On January 25, 1950, this entity was renamed Uttar Pradesh.

Credit: BCCL

Madhya Bharat to Madhya Pradesh

Formed from 25 princely states on May 28, 1948, Madhya Bharat was renamed Madhya Pradesh on November 1, 1956. Prior to the renaming, Vindhya Pradesh and Bhopal State merged into Madhya Bharat, with Bhopal becoming its capital.

Credit: BCCL

Hyderabad to Andhra Pradesh

Hyderabad State existed from 1948 to 1956. Following the States Reorganisation Act, it merged with Andhra State and was renamed Andhra Pradesh in 1956.

Credit: BCCL

Travancore-Cochin to Kerala

Established on July 1, 1949, Travancore-Cochin was originally called the United State of Travancore and Cochin. On November 1, 1956, it merged with the Malabar District of Madras State to form the new state of Kerala.

Credit: BCCL

Bombay State to Gujarat and Maharashtra

The extensive Bombay Province under British rule, stretching from Mysore to Karachi, was divided by the Bombay Reorganisation Act of 1960. This Act created the new states of Gujarat (for Gujarati speakers) and Maharashtra (for Marathi speakers).

Credit: BCCL

Madras State to Tamil Nadu

Following India's 1947 independence, Madras Presidency became Madras state, covering present-day Tamil Nadu. In 1969, it was renamed Tamil Nadu by Annadurai’s government.

Credit: BCCL

Uttaranchal to Uttarakhand

Responding to popular demand, the Union Cabinet approved the renaming of Uttaranchal to Uttarakhand in August 2006. The change was enacted after the bill was signed by President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam in December 2006.

Credit: BCCL

Laccadive, Minicoy & Amindivi Islands to Lakshadweep

The islands previously known as Laccadive, Minicoy and Amindivi were officially renamed Lakshadweep in 1973, years after becoming a union territory in 1956. The new name means “one lakh islands” in the local languages.

Credit: BCCL

Pondicherry to Puducherry

Pondicherry, named during the French colonial period, was officially renamed Puducherry in 2006 through an Act of Parliament. This revert to its original Tamil name was meant to honour the region's indigenous history.

Credit: BCCL

​Orissa to Odisha

The Orissa (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2010, along with the Constitution (113th Amendment) Bill, was signed by President Pratibha Patil. This legislation officially changed the state's name to Odisha and its language from Oriya to Odia.

Credit: BCCL

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