The Name Game: Bharat vs India

India is referred to as "Bharat" in historical and ideological contexts and as "India" in legal and diplomatic contexts. Due to the emergence of the opposition group known as INDIA (Indian National Developmental Inclusive group), the use of these names has taken on a political connotation.

Recently, the term "President of Bharat" rather than "President of India" was used on an invitation card for the recent G-20 Summit by the present administration led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This change in language has drawn attention and raises the possibility that these names have political connotations.

What is the Historical Background/History Associated with “Bharat” & “India”?

• The names have foreign roots, as do the phrase "India" and its synonyms, such as "Hind" in Arabic. In the past, the territory south and east of the Indus or Sindhu River was referred to by these names by outsiders.

• Historical Usage: The northern parts of the Indian subcontinent were frequently referred to as "Hindustan" while under Afghan and Mughal authority.

• Later, European colonial powers, especially the British, adopted the term "India" to refer to the entire subcontinent as well as just the northern section. It served mostly as a geographical identification for them.

Nationalism and the Indian Renaissance: The Indian Renaissance was instrumental in fostering the idea that the entire Indian subcontinent was home to a single nation. Some of the movement's leaders felt it was unacceptable to use a name that had been given to them by outsiders and searched for historic roots for Indian nationalism.

 

• The word "Bharat" and its translations into other languages was chosen by them.

• The bitter religious and political conflicts that existed at the time of the partition were reflected in this name issue.

Syncretic Word - "Hind": Leaders like Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose promoted the use of the syncretic word "Hind," which could be embraced by a variety of individuals from various religious backgrounds.

• Expressions like "Jai Hind" show how "Hind" is still relevant in contemporary Indian society.

How “Bharat” and “India” are Balanced?

• Constitutional adoption: The Indian Constitution was initially ratified in English by the Constituent Assembly. This emphasizes the English translation's significance in history and law as the Constitution's founding text.

• Publication of a Hindi Translation: In 1950, the Constitution's Hindi translation was released alongside its English counterpart. This translation was completed in accordance with a decision adopted by the Constituent Assembly and was signed by its members.

• The existence of both the English and Hindi versions of the Constitution emphasizes their official standing inside the Indian legal system.

• It highlights the importance it is to make the Constitution available in both Hindi and English, India's two official languages.

• Amendments to the Constitution: The 1987 58th Amendment to the Constitution probably addressed concerns over the usage of Hindi and English in official papers, court cases, and official communications.

• The 58th Amendment empowered the President to make the official Hindi translation of the Constitution available for use in court cases.

• Article 1(1): The Constitution's first paragraph identifies the nation's name and basic characteristics. "India, that is Bharat, shall be a Union of States," it says in the English translation, emphasizing "India" as the main name.

• The word "Bharat" is highlighted in the Hindi translation, which reads "Bharat artharth India, rajyon ka sangh hoga."

• Examples of Names: To show how this naming pattern is used to identify various official publications, examples such as the "Gazette of India" in English and "Bharat ka Rajpatra" in Hindi are provided.

• The names chosen are indicative of the dual-language nature of governmental papers and publications from India.

Some of the Other Countries that Changed their Name

• Siam to Thailand (1939):
• To counter Western colonial influence in Southeast Asia, the nation changed its name in an effort to show its unity and uniqueness. The new name, "Thailand," which translates to "Land of the Free," highlights the nation's independence and sense of pride.
• Zaire to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (1997):
• To separate itself from the dictatorship of Mobutu Sese Seko (who reigned for more than three decades), the nation changed its name. The change in name highlighted the restoration of a democratic form of government.
• East Pakistan to Bangladesh (1971):
• After a bloody battle, East Pakistan separated from West Pakistan in 1971, creating the new nation of Bangladesh. This symbolized the cultural, linguistic, and political divisions between the two regions and signaled the conclusion of the Bangladesh Liberation War.
• Turkey changed its name to Türkiye in 2022 because this term represents and expresses the culture, civilisation, and values of the Turkish people the best.

What is the Current Scenario?

• The use of "India" Internationally: India has continuously referred to itself as "India" in all multilateral and international fora. This shows that the name "India" is linked to the nation's identity and recognition on a global scale.

• This highlights how useful and standardized using the English moniker "India" in international diplomacy and communication is.

• Recent Example with Greece: A current example is the mention of the Joint Statement made during the Prime Minister's visit to Greece. The title of the statement, "India-Greece Joint Statement," emphasizes the use of the term "India" in official bilateral relations.

• India is famous for using a dual-language strategy in official documents and diplomatic circumstances. The words "Rashtrapati" and "Bharat Gantantra" are inscribed in Hindi beneath the National Emblem in letters of credence issued by the President of India to Ambassadors-designate, while the English counterparts, "President" and "Republic of India," are used above.

This strategy is a reflection of India's dedication to multilingualism and its rich language past.

• Both "Jai Hind" and "Jai Bharat" are commonly used in modern India, which reflects the coexistence of various cultural and linguistic traditions. For instance, both statements are used in the majority of important addresses, such as the Independence Day speech, to acknowledge the various historical and cultural strands that make up the fabric of the country.

Note:

• The Centre rejected a name change in 2015, claiming that the matter had been carefully considered during the writing of the Constitution.

• In 2016, and again in 2020, the Supreme Court rejected requests to rename "India" to "Bharat," reiterating that both "Bharat" and "India" are mentioned in the Constitution.

Conclusion

A change like this would alienate regions of the nation who favor the term "India" over "Bharat." Any choice should take into account the varied opinions of the general public and regional preferences on the name of the nation. Any break from this custom may have ramifications for culture and identity. In keeping with India's linguistic variety, it is deemed both sensible and constitutionally proper to use "India" in English and "Bharat" in Hindi. The issue at hand is whether changing this custom of giving one term precedence over the other should be a top priority at this time when the nation is also dealing with other problems (such as unemployment, environmental degradation, poverty, healthcare inequalities, gender discrimination, etc.).

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