8 Indian Cities That Changed Their Names
February 20, 2025
In 1996, Madras changed to Chennai to honour its Tamil heritage and distance itself from its colonial past.
Madras to Chennai
The city where Maha Kumbh is being held was renamed in 2018.
Allahabad to Prayagraj
Prayag, the historic city where the Yamuna, Saraswati, and Ganges rivers converge, is associated with the new name.
In 2006, Pondicherry changed its name to Puducherry, which means “new village,” in keeping with its Tamil roots.
Pondicherry to Puducherry
Bangalore changed its name to Bengaluru in 2006 as part of an effort to protect Karnataka’s cultural legacy.
Bangalore to Bengaluru
To maintain the Malayalam roots, Cochin changed its name to Kochi in 1996.
Cochin to Kochi
In 2001, Calcutta was renamed Kolkata in observance of Bengali identity and culture.
Calcutta to Kolkata
In 1995, Bombay was changed to Mumbai in observance of the Marathi culture.
Bombay to Mumbai
The name change was a part of an effort to eliminate colonial influences and preserve Marathi identity.
The city's original cultural identity was restored by changing its name to its traditional Malayalam name.
