The mention of the ‘President of Bharat' instead of the ‘President of India' on the official invite for the G20 Summit dinner to be hosted at the Rashtrapati Bhawan has sparked debate about the name change of the country. It is speculated that the Central Government could bring a resolution to change India's official name to ‘Bharat' during the special session of Parliament later this month.
However, India will not be the first country if, at all, the name change happens. There's a long list of countries that have changed their names due to political, social, or other reasons. Here's a list of countries that have changed their names in the past:
Turkey to Turkiye
In 2022, Turkey informed the United Nations that it had officially changed its name to Turkiye. Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said that the name Turkiye represented the country's culture, civilisation, and values in the best way.
Holland To Netherlands
The Netherlands was renamed from Holland with the aim of updating its global image. With the name change, the Dutch wanted to bring attention to the country's aspiration to project itself as an open, inventive and inclusive nation.
Burma to Myanmar:
Myanmar got its current name in 1989, a year after the ruling military junta suppressed a pro-democracy uprising, by military leaders. The Southeast Asian country had long been known as Burma, after the dominant Burman ethnic group.
Ceylon to Sri Lanka
Formerly known as Ceylon, the island nation was renamed Sri Lanka to emphasise its cultural roots and remove historical remnants of Portuguese and British rule. The name Ceylon, however, continued to be in government use till 2011 before it was finally wiped out.
Persia To Iran
Modern-day Iran was historically known as Persia till 1935. The name change was announced by King Reza Shah to mark a new beginning for the country. However, the long-standing cultural exports such as food, art and literature continue to be referred to as Persian.
Siam To Thailand
Thailand was formerly known as Siam until 1939. It was briefly reverted to Siam between 1946 and 1948 before becoming the Kingdom of Thailand. The new name was chosen to emphasise the country's independence and represent the national pride of the Thai people.
Czechia - Formerly Czech Republic
The Czech Republic changed its name to Czechia in 2016. This change was aimed at simplicity in the name, making it easier for the country to be recognised in sporting events and marketing efforts.
Cape Verde to Republic of Cabo Verde
Cape Verde adopted the full Portuguese spelling of the Republic of Cabo Verde in 2013.
Democratic Republic of Congo
The Democratic Republic of Congo underwent several name changes before getting its current name in 1997. The country was previously known as Congo Free State, Belgian Congo, Congo-Leopoldville, Republic of Congo, and the Republic of Zaire.
Swaziland to Eswatini
Formerly known as the Kingdom of Swaziland, the country was renamed to the Kingdom of Eswatini by King Mswati III in 2018.
