India or Bharat? A dinner invite sparks speculation as Modi's ministers push to rebrand the country
India, the host nation of this year’s Group of 20 summit, has two official names NEW DELHI -- It began with a dinner invitation. How it ends could affect more than a billion people. State-issued invites sent to guests of this week’s G20 meeting referred to India's president, Droupadi Murmu, as “President of Bharat.” Suddenly, in many circles, the question was everywhere: Would the country of more than 1.4 billion now be called by its ancient Sanskrit name? Since then, Prime Minister Narendra Modi ’s minister s, his Hindu nationalist supporters, Bollywood stars and cricketers have made similar public proclamations: India should officially be rebranded as Bharat. India is known by two names: India, used worldwide, and the Sanskrit and Hindi nomenclature of “Bharat.” Now, Modi’s government is signaling that Indians should shed the name India and instead call their country Bharat. The possibility is resonating with Hindu nationalists who form the prime minister’s core vote base. Their ...