The use of “Bharat” instead of “India” in English-language invitations for the G20 dinner has sparked controversy and raised questions about language and nomenclature in India.
Traditionally, invitations issued by Indian constitutional bodies have followed the convention of using “India” in English and “Bharat” in Hindi. However, the G20 dinner invitations, which were in English, referred to the President of India as the President of “Bharat.”
This deviation from convention has drawn attention and criticism. Some critics argue that it reflects the Hindu-nationalist ideology of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government and its push for greater use of Hindi. They suggest that this change in nomenclature may be an attempt to officially alter the country’s name.
Under the Modi government, there has been a trend of renaming towns and cities with colonial-era names to emphasize Indian identity and history. This move towards linguistic and cultural nationalism has been a subject of debate and discussion in India.
