[News Terms] Not India, but 'Bharat'?

'Bharat' is the indigenous national name for India in Sanskrit. It means 'one who seeks light (prophet)' in Sanskrit and is said to have originated from the name of 'Bharat,' a wise ancient Indian ruler.

Indian citizens often use the name Bharat for their country. At cricket stadiums and other events, supporters use flags labeled Bharat instead of India, and the name frequently appears in Indian pop songs and movies. Article 1 of the Indian Constitution also states, "India, that is Bharat, shall be a Union of States."

Indian people waiting to board a train at Mumbai train station in India.
[Photo by Mumbai EPA/Yonhap News]

According to major foreign media on the 5th (local time), controversy has arisen as the Indian government used 'Bharat' instead of 'India' on dinner invitations sent to attendees of the G20 summit.

The invitation sent by the Indian President's Office for the dinner on the 9th reads 'President of Bharat.' This designation reflects Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Hindu nationalist tendencies. The government and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) argue that using Bharat instead of India, a term from the British colonial era, is appropriate. However, opposition figures oppose this.

The ruling party claims that since India has used the colonial-era name 'India,' imposed by the British from 1757 when India became a British colony until independence in 1947, it is now time to change the country's name to Bharat.

The Persians who invaded Bharat changed the name of the 'Sindhu River,' the cradle of ancient civilization, to 'Hindu River' for easier pronunciation and added 'stan,' meaning 'land,' calling it 'Hindustan.' Later, when the British arrived, they pronounced 'Hindu' as 'Indus' in English, which led to the name 'India.'

In 2014, a petition was submitted to the Indian Supreme Court to change the country's name to Bharat or Hindustan, but the court dismissed it.

On the other hand, major foreign media such as Bloomberg analyzed that this move is likely aimed at countering the main opposition party, the Indian National Congress (INC), which launched a political alliance called the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) on July 28 with 28 regional parties to oppose the Modi government.

INC lawmaker Shashi Tharoor also stated on social media, "The government should not hastily stop using the name 'India' for the country," adding, "We should not give up a name steeped in history and recognized worldwide."