Renaming India To Bharata Petition

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Renaming India To Bharata Petition

 

Petition to the Government of India to rename

India to Bharata...

 

To the Government of India

 

The largest political, religious and military entity in South Asia is

known internationally by the name of India. This was the name by

which the entire region became known to the West. It is therefore

consistent that it was the name given to the largest colony of the

British Empire, until decolonisation from the middle of the last

century. It is perhaps for this reason that one should reconsider the

name by which this nation refers to itself. 'India' conjures up

images of colonial hangover, with its integral inferiority complex.

It in no way suggests a nation asserting itself, a nation on the

brink of stepping from the developing to developed world, a potential

superpower in the forthcoming millennium. A name change will enhance

this newly found self-confidence; announce to the global community a

nation reviving its ancient spirit, and remove the inferiority

complex from the mind of its citizens.

 

On becoming a republic in 1950, India chose for itself the Hindi

name 'Bharath' for private usage (adapted from one of the ancient

kings of folk memory). The world continues to refer to Bharath as

India. A name change to LBharataú the actual Sanskrit name of the

ancient king would be in keeping with similar events elsewhere in the

post-colonial world (Siam to Thailand, Ceylon to Sri Lanka, Rhodesia

to Zimbabwe, Nyasaland to Malawi, Burma to Myanmar). India smacks of

colonialism, a name foisted upon its unwilling inhabitants. The

change to Bharata, a name by which the Bhartiyas have always known

their land will change this, and greatly change the attitude of the

global community in a more positive direction. Combined with the

revival of Sanskrit as a national language, this will enhance its

prestige among the international community. The example of Israel

with Hebrew lies before us.

 

Sincerely,

 

The Undersigned

 

To sign the petition

http://www.petitiononline.com/mod_perl/signed.cgi?i2B&1