‘No Kannada word for Greater?’: Bengaluru residents question BBMP’s new authority name as it takes charge

The photo posted by @KiranKS on X shows the new GBA building with the caption “No Kannada word for ‘Greater’?”

A day after the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) was formally launched, a new social media row has broken out over the use of the English word “Greater” in its title.

A viral post on X (formerly Twitter) questioning the use of "Greater" in the name of the new Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) has sparked controversy in Bengaluru, with many residents and Kannada language proponents expressing disappointment over the lack of a Kannada equivalent and advocating for a name that reflects local identity, such as "Bruhat" which was used in the previous Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP).

The photo posted by @KiranKS on X shows the new GBA building with the caption “No Kannada word for ‘Greater’?”

No Kannada word for "Greater"? pic.twitter.com/hZssY7rmLH

— Kiran Kumar S (@KiranKS) September 2, 2025

Hindustan Times reported that one user pointed out that the word “Bruhat” in the BBMP already meant great, and argued that a name change alone would not improve administration. “Name change won’t help unless commissions are ironed out from BBMP/GBA work,” the post read.

Others users expressed cynicism over the new system of governance. Some posts mocked the signage itself. “Irony is they have Kannadave right below Greater. Wonder which brihaspathi’s idea it was,” read one reaction.

One person wrote, “It is ok, as long as ‘greater’ is not a Hindi word.”

For the unversed, the GBA replaced the BBMP and came into effect this week, dividing Bengaluru into five new municipal corporations and increasing the number of zonal and sub-zonal offices for decentralized governance. While the GBA will oversee infrastructure, the new corporations will manage local revenue, property tax, and civic services.