Bengaluru: Is it Bengaluru or Bangalore? Mysuru or Mysore? Why would anyone ask that question after the state government changed the names of 12 cities nearly three years ago? This is because the state government itself seems to be in conflict over the change of names.
The names of 12 cities and districts were changed on October 17, 2014 with the Union Home Ministry giving its approval 10 days after the state government proposed changes on October 27, 2006 in consonance with their pronunciation in Kannada.
Accordingly, the names were changed from Bangalore to Bengaluru, Belgaum to Belagavi, Chikmagalur to Chikkamagaluru, Gulbarga to Kalaburgi, Hospet to Hosapete, Hubli to Hubballi, Mangalore to Mangaluru, Mysore to Mysuru, Shimoga to Shivavamogga and Tumkur to Tumakuru.
But the state government, which initiated the move with much fanfare, does not seem to have recognised the change. Almost all government departments continue to refer to the old names of these cities. The official website of the government continues to mention that the Raj Bhavan is in Bangalore, not Bengaluru.
These include annual reports for 2016-17 of departments, government orders and circulars.Virtually all government departments in their official communication continue to refer to the 12 cities, including Bengaluru, and the relevant districts by their old names.
The Department of Kannada and Culture, which was instrumental in piloting the change of name of the cities, itself refers to the cities by their old names.
The addresses of its offices in Bengaluru and Mysuru continue to be Bangalore and Mysore. The ITBT Department refers to ‘Bangalore’ being the ‘IT capital of India’, and the ‘biotech capital of India’. So also the Department of Rural Development and Panchayat Raj, and the department of Women and Child Development.
As far as the Department of health and Family Welfare, its directory mentions the address of minister’s office as Bengaluru, but the official addresses of all the officers Principal Secretary Shalini Rajneesh downwards, the addresses is Bangalore. Officials of Women and Child Development and Kannada and Culture were not reachable for comment.
Five State government websites still use ‘Bangalore’
- Department of ITBT
- Department of Rural Development and Panchayat Raj,
- Department of Women and Child Development
- Raj Bhavan
- Department of Health and Family Welfare
