A day after the Union Cabinet gave its approval to rename Kerala as Keralam, BJP MP Praveen Khandelwal wrote to union home minister Amit Shah requesting that the national capital Delhi be renamed as Indraprastha.
In his letter, Khandelwal argued that historical literature, archaeological findings, and long-standing civilizational traditions establish that the present-day Delhi corresponds to the ancient city of Indraprastha, the grand capital established by the Pandavas as described in the epic Mahabharata.
“As such, the name 'Delhi' reflects a limited historical period rather than the deeper and more enduring legacy of the city. Restoring the name Indraprastha would therefore reconnect the capital of modern India with its ancient civilizational foundation. It would symbolise that the seat of the world's largest democracy stands upon the legacy of one of humanity's oldest cultural traditions,” Khandelwal wrote.
Khandelwal also pointed to archaeological evidence from Purana Qila, where digs have revealed Painted Grey Ware artefacts and habitation layers dating to nearly 1000 BCE, believed to be from the Mahabharata period.
The MP said these discoveries substantiate the long-standing claim that present-day Delhi was once the site of Indraprastha.
The BJP leader acknowledged that the government has already taken steps to restore historically authentic names of cities, such as Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, and Prayagraj, in order to reclaim their indigenous identity.
“Renaming Delhi as Indraprastha would be a historic step towards restoring the civilisational identity of India’s capital", Khandelwal wrote in the letter.
Such a step would not only correct a historical disconnect but would also reaffirm India’s commitment to honouring and preserving the legacy of its great civilisation, he added.
He appealed to the Home Ministry to initiate consultations with historians, archaeologists as well as other relevant stakeholders to study the feasibility of the change.
BJP MP Praveen Khandelwal writes a letter to Union Home Minister Amit Shah requesting the renaming of Delhi as Indraprastha "...As such, the name "Delhi" reflects a limited historical period rather than the deeper and more enduring legacy of the city. Restoring the name… pic.twitter.com/meJBqxPS9A— ANI (@ANI) February 25, 2026
Earlier on Tuesday, the Union Cabinet gave its approval to the proposal to change the name of Kerala to Keralam.
Briefing reporters after a meeting of the Union Cabinet, information and broadcasting minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said that the Kerala Alteration of Name Bill will be sent to the state assembly for its approval.
The decision comes ahead of the assembly polls in the state, slated for the first half of this year.
Discover the latest Business News, Sensex, and Nifty updates. Obtain Personal Finance insights, tax queries, and expert opinions on Moneycontrol or download the Moneycontrol App to stay updated!
Find the best of Al News in one place, specially curated for you every weekend.
Stay on top of the latest tech trends and biggest startup news.
