Proposal To Rename Islampur as Ishwarpur Gets Maharashtra Cabinet Nod Amid Push To Restore Historical Names

The Maharashtra government cleared a proposal to change the name of the Sangli district’s Islampur town as Ishwarpur, the Indian Express reported.

The decision was reportedly announced on the last day of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly’s Monsoon session.

The Maharashtra government is preparing to forward the renaming proposal to the Centre for final approval.

Although the state Cabinet has cleared the move, the authority to officially change the name lies with the Union government.

The resolution was approved during a Cabinet meeting held on Thursday.

“The power to change the names of cities and places lies with the Centre. The state Cabinet has approved the decision, and the proposal is being sent to the Union government,” Bhujbal told the House.

Also Read: Six Maoists Killed In Chhattisgarh's Abujhmad Amid Centre’s Push to Eliminate Left-Wing Extremism By 2026

The push to rename Islampur has come from Shiv Pratishthan, a Hindu organisation led by Sambhaji Bhide.

The group had submitted a memorandum to the Sangli Collectorate and had vowed to continue their campaign until the demand was met.

A local Shiv Sena leader noted, as mentioned in the Indian Express report,  that the proposal dates back decades, having first been raised in 1986.

This is the latest in a series of name-change initiatives taken up by the state.

In 2022, the Maharashtra government approved the renaming of Aurangabad to Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Osmanabad to Dharashiv, both of which later received the Centre’s approval.

Last year, the Bombay High Court dismissed multiple petitions challenging those changes, giving the state a legal green light to proceed.

Another proposal to rename Ahmednagar to Ahilyanagar, in honour of Ahilyabai Holkar, remains pending with the Union government.

Over the past few years, many states have been renaming towns and cities, often bringing back their old, historical names as part of a broader trend.

Also Read: NTSB Slams US Media Speculation On Air India Plane Crash, Supports AAIB's Public Appeal