7 Indian cities that changed their names

Zee Media Bureau
Aug 13, 2024

Mumbai

Bombay was officially renamed Mumbai in 1995, reflecting its Marathi heritage and derived from the Portuguese word "Bom Bahia," meaning "Good Bay."

Kolkata

Formerly known as Calcutta, the city was officially renamed Kolkata in 2001 to better reflect its Bengali pronunciation and heritage, replacing the British colonial name.

Chennai

Madras was renamed Chennai in 1996, reflecting the local Tamil language and colonial term Madras.

Kochi

Formerly known as Cochin, was officially renamed Kochi in 1996, following local pronunciation and historical significance.

Bengaluru

Formerly Bangalore was renamed Bengaluru in 2014, reflecting the pronunciation and historical roots of the Kannada language.

Puducherry

Formerly Pondicherry was officially renamed Puducherry in 2006, reflecting its Tamil heritage, while Pondicherry was the French colonial name.

Gurugram

In 2016, Gurugram, known as Gurgaon, was renamed to honour the historical significance of the ancient village and its connection to Guru Dronacharya from the Mahabharata.

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