The Narendra Modi government apparently does not know when it is ahead, and why not to retard the country’s rise by a self-inflicted wound that may appear trivial — such as changing the name of the country — but is not.
The Modi government is reportedly threatening to do something recklessly foolish that will leave everyone befuddled, scratching their heads in incomprehension. In the instant case, it is the Modi regime’s prospective re-branding of India as Bharat. Of course, I was quite happy that the country was being named after me, but disappointed to learn from the official spoilsports — S Jaishankar and Co., who rather warily explained to the Press that it is the alternative moniker for the country mentioned in the very first line of the Constitution — “India, that is Bharat…”, etc. Then Sanjeev Sanyal, economic adviser to the PM, educated us TV newswatchers on history stretching back to God knows when and the birth of the “Bharati empire” originating in present day Haryana, and whatnot. All this was informative and enlightening, but I still felt a little uneasy, my immediate concerns being practical.
My unease was with the name Bharat, my name and touted as possibly the country’s as well. Years of my early adult life spent in California had accustomed me to Westerners, even well meaning ones, routinely mangling my name. Scouring my memory, I cannot recall a single American from among my friends, fellow students, girl friends, class mates, project colleagues, and professors in all my years as an undergrad and grad student at the University of California and, later in life, professional acquaintances and, generally, lay people I met over the decades in Western countries, getting my name right. Despite extended personal tutorials from me the most the best among them could manage was a variation of “Baharat” (with empasis on RAT pronounced as in rat, the rodent). My friends, showing less patience, just called me “Brat” (with the snarky among them suggesting this abbreviated form fit my personality better)!
The trouble Westerners have with this word is because the aspirated “bh” is missing from the English language — look up the Oxford Dictionary (and, as far as I know, from any known European language)! Therefore, try as hard as they might, Westerners invariably will mispronounce it. Beyond a point, I discovered, it was futile to correct them, and even less to badger them to get it right. Asians — Arabs, who also can only say Baharat, but Chinese, otherAsians in the Sinic sphere, are in many respects worse, and I could never, and still cannot, make out whatever they call(ed) me (in seminars, conferences, etc) and short of being directly addressed or tapped on the shoulder, I always fail(ed) to respond.
This post is a cautionary one for the “President of BAHARAT” — whatever that is, who is set to dine with G20 dignitaries and fated hereafter — if the name sticks — to hear Western pooh-bahs standing up to give a toast and tripping right away on the word and, amidst much embarrassment among natives of this land present on the occasion, generally making a mess of the intended goodwill, as well!
It is obvious that prompted by the RSS, the change of name for the country from the G-20 platform was a trial balloon sent up by Modi. Many foreign delegates getting an invitation from the Rashtrapati Bhavan to the high dinner may have done a double take, wondering if by mischance their planes had landed in the wrong, but for some reason dressed up, country and they were missing out on the G-20 confab happening in India. If it was a balloon, it has fallen flat. Best to keep Bharat for domestic consumption where it belongs and makes sense, and then only in domestic political discourse. Because commercially some have taken this name changing move seriously enough for wags to twitter that Indigo airline, for instance, would be rebranding itself as ‘Bhago’! In other words, ‘Bharat’ will be the butt of unending jokes. Not to mention the enormous cost — as in literally tens of billions of dollars to advertise the change worldwide, and on all mastheads, crests, on government stationery, etc., only for non-South Asians to mutilate it any way.
INDIA is an extraordinarily evocative historical name derived from the word Sindhu that was persianised to ‘Hindu’ as Sanyal mentioned. Recall why the legendary leader of the XIV Army, Field Marshal William Slim, considered the greatest field commander in the Allied ranks in the Second World War, when offered the post by Nehru of Commander-in-Chief, India, declined saying that Pakistan was no more a part of the India his army would have to protect. But that’s a historical piffle compared to the fact that over several millennia literally millions of peoples everywhere, and especially in the modern era, have been familiar with ‘India’ and relatively few with ‘Bharat’. Reviving an ancient name for the country for the heck of it, or to get back to cultural roots, is all very well as an RSS-BJP hobbyhorse until it runs up against reality, and then it will be an incalculable diplomatic and all-round disaster.
A Bloomberg story mentions the economic cost to the country that Modi did not factor into his decision to overnight demonetise high denomination currency notes. The political, diplomatic, and economic costs of the name change will be unimaginably higher. For one, as has been pointed out, Pakistan, presently in the depths of despond, could rightly claim India as its name, as a co-successor state to British India, and make a new and fresh start, at our nomenclatural expense, ride on the goodwill and visibility India has generated over time even as we curdle in our own reduction to ‘Bharat’, and this when the country is set to make an economic leap. American and Japanese companies and Saudi and UAE sovereign funds are keen on investing massive amounts of monies in India. Will they be as enthused to do so in Bharat?
There is universal goodwill and name recognition attached to ‘India’ that Indians have benefitted immensely from. Think IT. India is an incomparable and unmatched supernumerary brand. Pettily then, does Modi really want to cut off the I.N.D.I.A political opposition’s nose to spite India’s face by promoting ‘Bharat’? Wouldn’t it be better if he approaches the Election Commission to reject the INDIA name for the opposing coalition gunning for him in the 2024 general electionsr?
The Harvard development economist Lant Pritchett has called India a “flailing state”. A key attribute of such a state is that it often does not know why it is doing what it is does (or, why else would it flail?). In any case, such a state often ends up hurting itself, its cause. In this context, what’s worse than a deep, irreparable and self-inflicted wound than changing the name of the country just when it is finally taking off? It is nothing like changing the Indian Navy’s flag — removing the St George’s cross from its ensign. No one has quite explained why such a formal name change is necessary or even right other than as an RSS-Modi brainwave of the moment that the country can well do without.
Let Bharat remain the common currency in the realm of internal politics and in the language of cultural discourse. But, otherwise, let India be India. “India” carries heft, has a full history behind it, and the name resonates expansively worldwide. It is ludicrous to give up so much for relatively so little. Let it be. Let India just be.
Security Wise 
I could’nt agree more
‘India’ a foreign word – even if rooted in the land, is a memory to our subjugation. Bharat is a memory to our ancient civilization – non anglicized. Why not junk the colonial word after 77 years of independence and free our minds! Your most central point in your writings is our inability to think about power, let alone wield it. Well, we will not start until out minds are decolonized. Names and Idioms are important aspects of this process for the masses.
The name ‘India’ has been associated from at least 500 BC, long before colonization of the country. So associating our country’s name with colonialism is disingenuous at best.
Shaurya@ — The name ‘India’ is a vested political, diplomatic, economic and military asset of long and glorious standing that 200 years of British rule cannot and should not besmirch. And Hindustan, though perfectly good in everyday usage, is too much a political antonym to Pakistan for comfort because, if formalised as state name, it almost calls out for equating a Hindu India with Muslim Pakistan (never mind that there are more Muslims in India!). Surely then, staying with India is best.
Mr Karnad,
The real problem – which you predictably ignored – is that a particular political alliance has appropriated the name INDIA for itself, using it as their acronym. They should not be allowed to do that in the first place, because they are trying to crookedly make the name of their political alliance synonymous with the name of the country. It is this specifically that the Modi govt was reacting to. So please do try to get the basics of the issue right, instead of glossing over the fundamental details. India as a “supernumary brand” should not be reduced to Maino & cronies.
manofsan@– pls refer the post. It asks the Modi govt to approach the Election Commission to rule the INDIA coalition name illegal. This is an adjudicable issue.
@Shaurya- Why not continue the process of decolonization by doing the following;
1. Demolish all buildings, roads, railway lines etc.built by the British
2. Non recognition of English as one of the many official Indian languages.
3. Calculate the sum which British empire looted from India in its almost two centuries colonial rule (I think Shashi Tharoor has mentioned the appropriate figure in one of his books)
4. Give England a couple of months time to pay back India the aforementioned sum failing which our self proclaimed ‘Vishvguru’ should take the lead in mobilizing all of England’s Ex colonies and attack England. They all can rob England of whatever was stolen from them by the British Empire.
@Paad-shah- Excellent retort. I would also add the following points to your post;
1. Remove the names of all duffers from India Gate, who picked up the guns for the British empire and died fighting for them in both the World Wars.
2. Take away the wealth of all sycophants of the British Raj, who were Knighted by the British empire (Sir Shaadi Lal, Khushwant Singh etc.) and give it to the families of real freedom fighters like Rajguru, Sukhdev, Bhagat, Azad, Uddham Singh etc.
Why is the police still wearing the khakhi it is a British style clothing , why do we use Newton laws in any of our technology . Lets stop all these and go as per our own inventions. Stop using cars, planes, ships, trains they are all western tech.
Computer is a foreign machine, Gun is a foreign tech, petrol , diesel , aviation engine, nuclear tech , hydroelectric tech i think along with India we should go with what we had before it. Time will like us to move ahead with time not go back. Will the government adapt what Raja Bharat lived like …….no they just need the name.
@Rd- “Gun is a foreign tech”
That’s why Indian army fought PLA with stones and sticks during their clash of June 2020.
Modi haii tohh mumkinn haii.
Professor,
Brat is a good nickname for the Baarat of 1.4 B brats! The English language also does not capture nuances of Sanskrit pronunciations – Bhaarat, I.e., of the sage Bharat as opposed to the eponymous Bharat. Some sagely word play by brattish people!
Much ado about nothing… you could have written much more about the strategic implications of Putin and Xi not coming for the G-20 … nomenclature issue is not a big issue as no official statement has been made till now if doing away with the name India…
May be this is right time to rename, as once growth accelerate , it will be more difficult to change name.
Email from Lt Gen Kamal Davar (Retd), founding officer of the Defence Intelligence Agency
Thu, 7 Sept at 9:56 pm
Enjoyed reading your well argued piece. For us all India, Bharat even Hindustan means the same. Today is Krishna Janamashtami.Dont we call Krishna by many other names and each name we revere. Is SARE JAHAN SE ACHA HINDUSTAN HAMARA any less rejuvenating and inspiring than BHARAT MATA KI JAI or Bharat Bhagya Vidhata or I LOVE MY INDIA or CHAK DE INDIA. There are a hundred challenges , internal and external to confront and defeat. The propensity of digging graves with us Indians is amazing. Each day we are being now educated in history. Should an aspiring deserving Vishwa Guru behave like this and make the world laugh at us. God bless the Republic. Jai Hind.
Hindi, Hindu, Hindustan nahii sahengaaey aabb apmaan.
I am with you in the fact that changing India to Bharat is a very expensive proposition in terms of loss of brand image etc.
However I am with the government when it comes to building an eco system which leverages the strength of Bharat. We need to enable the poor and rural masses to learn in their native language to expand the source of brain power and innovation.
We have to get out of the mindset that India will forever be pandering to Western culture and how they pronounce our names matters little. Time to envision our own future.
Kousik@ — If the roots of India are not in ‘Western culture’, where’s the need for changing the twin India-Bharat usage? And how will a name change, in any case, facilitate enabling the poor… etc?
Couldn’t agree more. The name India transcends every epochal turn in this country’s history. A bone-headed move by the ruling party to minimise the opposition alliance’s bone-headed move by calling themselves I.N.D.I.A
Also agree with the characterisation of the nation being called a flailing state. But also curious, what is a good example of a nation which isn’t flailing these days?
Completely DISAGREE with you BHARAT Ji. Pandering to the Colonials begins with Culture Changes which includes first and foremost the Name change, Introduction of languages, etc. Look at our History, when the invasions started, we lost our beautiful Janapadhas, our Nalanda burnt for 3-4 Months. English always boasted that they gave Railways and Education. Well, if you think putting kids in a classroom for 15 years and grind them and call it the most “Advanced Education”, then I got an Xelensky to sell to you. Embrace our history, Acknowledge our shortcomings BUT CHART a NATIVE PATH towards Modernization. You call “Spewing Gases behind to Move Forward” as “Advanced” whereas I call it LAMEST STUPID stuff. We’ll NEVER EVER get off this ROCK using that type of “Advanced” tech. You say Western Education is the greatest, then why’d we still have Human Caused Deaths, Destructions, Diseases, Poverty, Current Economic Situation that only caters to the VERY FEW ? You and I are in two different camps when it comes to so called “ADVANCED” stuff (whatever that means to you.) With all due Respect, Bharat ji. stick to Military and Geopolitical news. Namaste (I Bow Down To the Divinity in YOU) Too much western stuff is bad for you and we are not here to appease to the west. We stand on our own ground. Chatrapathi Shivaji Maharaj Ji, Maharana Pratap Ji, Bhagat Singh Ji and many other revolutionaries WILL ABSOLUTELY DISAGREE WITH YOU! I wish you nothing but health & prosperity! Jai BHARAT !
“CHART a NATIVE PATH towards Modernization.” OK. But is there a sustainable and practical chart to follow in science and technology?
I am not an expert in Cutting Edge Tech. I am just an avg Software Engineer. If I were in Charge, I’d announce National Missions based on our Strengths, which are : –
1. Advance Thorium Research and Up the Ante on the Nuclear Power Generation.
2. Following last Gen innovations like Li, Na battery is unwise. I’d focus on Hydrogen ALL THE WAY.
3. Its at least a 30 year program for us to develop Chips and Processors. So, i’d think differently and ABSOLUTELY THROW Money into RESEARCH in this field.
4. Human Development focused on Food, Energy, Healthcare, Housing using NATIVE ideas and NOT Western ideas (which is what China emulated essentially in combination with MONEY+MANPOWER). I’d start with Going back to promoting Family culture. Spiritual Development. Re-Introduce the concept of Janapadhas.
5. Make SANKSKRIT as an “Official GOVT Language” (both State and Federal). Make this mandatory to apply for CENTRAL GOVT Jobs ONLY. Have a REGIONAL Language a Mandatory one to be eligible to apply for STATE Govt Jobs. Keep English as a “Skill” coz its like a Cancer in today’s world functioning scenario but become more like Chinese in this aspect wherein, eventually, we publish Scientific Papers in SANSKRIT.
6. Of course, DECLARE NATIONAL MISSIONS in the areas of Engine Tech, Nuclear tech, Naval Tech, Communications Tech. Hopefully, by 2047, we’ll at least match today’s China. Jai BHARAT!