The Haryana government has decided to change the name of Gurgaon district to Gurugram, reverting to an ancient description for a place identified with swanky malls, luxury apartments and state-of-the-art offices.
The government said the decision was taken on the basis of a request by residents and politicians.
An official gazette said Gurgaon got its name from Guru Dronacharya, the tutor of the Pandavas in the epic Mahabharata.
It said the Pandavas gifted the village to Drona, and the area was later known as Guru Ka Gram (village of the master) before becoming Gurgaon.
But the postal department often mistook Gurgaon for Goregaon, a locality in Mumbai, officials said.
“I had framed the proposal based on the demand by city residents, resident welfare associations, municipal councillors and villagers, and sent the same to the finance commissioner for further action,” TL Satyaparakash, the Gurgaon deputy commissioner, said.
Gurgaon, on the outskirts of Delhi, is known as the cyber city which houses offices of renowned IT firms. It is also a popular destination among party-goers.
“Haryana is a historic land of the Bhagwat Gita and Gurgaon had been a centre of learning. It had been known as Gurgaon since the times of Guru Dronacharya. Gurgaon was a great centre of education where the princes used to be provided education,” an official said.
The government has also decided to change the name of Mewat district to Nuh.
A government spokesperson said Mewat was not a district but a geographical and cultural unit.
It is spread beyond Haryana in the adjoining states of Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan, a spokesperson said.
The people of the area and elected representatives were demanding the name change, he said.
Chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar has approved of the proposal.
The state, however, cannot unilaterally change the names. Approval of the Union home ministry is mandatory, officials said.
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