Date:19/04/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/04/19/stories/2007041914490400.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

`Bengaluru' in a fortnight

S. Rajendran

It was the Dharam Singh Government that initiated the process

Bangalore: Karnataka's capital will be officially named "Bengaluru" in about a fortnight with the Union Home Ministry clearing the State's proposal.

Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy is keen to ensure that the name change is gone through at the earliest, obviously since his name will go down in the records as having brought about the change similar to that of the then Chief Minister the late D. Devaraj Urs who is credited with changing the name of the State to Karnataka in 1973.

It was N. Dharam Singh who initiated the process of bringing about a change in the name of Bangalore as part of the Suvarna Karnataka celebrations in December 2005.

Along with Bengaluru, the names of 11 other important towns and cities in the State would be simultaneously changed.

Other cities

They are Mangalore as Mangaluru; Bellary as Ballary; Bijapur as Vijayapura or Vijapura; Belgaum as Belagavi; Chikmagalur as Chikkamagaluru; Gulbarga as Kalburgi; Mysore as Mysooru; Hospet as Hosapete; Shimoga as Shivamogga; Hubli as Hubbali and Tumkur as Tumakuru.

In terms of spelling in English, the major change was only in the case of Bangalore and a relatively minor change in the case of Mysore, Hospet and Hubli. Minister for Kannada and Culture H.S. Mahadeva Prasad told The Hindu that the change in the name of the State capital and the other towns and cities would be placed before the State cabinet for a formal approval shortly.

With the Union Government stating that it was the "prerogative of the State Government" to bring about changes in the names of towns, the authorities here have decided to ensure that the whole process is completed in about a month.

Order

Soon after the approval by the Cabinet, a Government order would be issued directing all departments to implement the change.

This would be followed up by all other government agencies and institutions, municipal corporations etc.

Principal Secretary, Kannada and Culture, I.M. Vittal Murthy, would be meeting Additional Secretary, Union Home Ministry, Vinay Kumar on Thursday to push through with the name change at the Central level.