Kerala to Keralam: 8 Indian Places That Reclaimed Their Original Names

• Kerala to be renamed ‘Keralam’ following Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s proposal, returning to its historical and linguistic roots.
• Odisha officially changed from Orissa in 2011 to align with the Odia language and its Sanskrit origin, “Odra Desha.”
• Uttarakhand, formed as Uttaranchal in 2000, was renamed in 2007, honoring the Uttarakhand movement and ancient Hindu texts.
• Mumbai, formerly Bombay, was renamed in 1995 to honor local deity Mumbadevi and assert Marathi identity, moving away from colonial influence.
• Bengaluru adopted its Kannada name in 2014, believed to mean “Town of Boiled Beans,” reflecting regional linguistic pride.
• Kolkata changed from Calcutta in 2001 to match Bengali pronunciation and reflect its original cultural identity from the village of Kalikata.
• Chennai, formerly Madras, was renamed in 1996, believed to be derived from Telugu ruler Damarla Chennappa Nayak, marking a return to South Indian heritage.
• Prayagraj restored its ancient identity in 2018, changing from Allahabad, linked to the sacred Triveni Sangam and meaning “Place of Sacrifice.”
• Gurugram, formerly Gurgaon, was renamed in 2016 to honor Guru Dronacharya from the Mahabharata.