Why was the city’s name changed three decades ago? How would the renaming work, and what makes it an emotive political issue in the state?

What is the controversy?

Singh, the Union Minister of State for the Department of Science and Technology, on Monday (November 24) launched state-of-the-art fabrication and central facilities for quantum technology innovation at IIT Bombay, under the Central government’s National Quantum Mission. In his speech, he said, “As far as IIT Bombay is concerned, thank god it still bears this name… And (it is) also true for (IIT) Madras. It remains IIT Madras.”

A day later, MNS Chief Raj Thackeray, whose party has long championed sons-of-the-soil and anti-migrant politics, criticised the remarks and said they reflected his party’s mindset. “And what is this mentality? The plan to separate Mumbai, which belonged to the Marathi people, from Maharashtra was foiled by Marathi leaders and the people. And our Marathi Mumbai remained in Maharashtra. The bitterness that had been building up in their stomachs for decades has started to come out once again!” Thackeray said in a post on X.

“They hate the name ‘Mumbai’ because it is named after Mumbadevi, the original goddess of Mumbai. Her children are the Marathi people who have lived here for generations. They hate you and your city,” he added.

Fadnavis then announced his decision to write to the PM and Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. Interacting with reporters in Nagpur, he said, “Everyone knows that BJP leader Ram Naik had made the biggest contribution in changing (the name of) Bombay to Mumbai. We always say Mumbai, and not Bombay. We have been consistently trying to ensure that ‘Bombay’ is replaced with Mumbai.”

How and why did ‘Bombay’ become ‘Mumbai’ in 1995?

The erstwhile Bombay was among the most important administrative regions for the British. After Indian Independence, the question of how states were to be organised led to several proposals and disagreements. In 1956, the Bombay province was created, encompassing Gujarati-speaking and Marathi-speaking areas, but this left many among both groups dissatisfied.

Ultimately, in 1959, the ruling Congress government succumbed to political pressure and acknowledged that the creation of the bilingual state had been a failure. On May 1, 1960, the states of Gujarat and Maharashtra were carved out of the Bombay State, with Maharashtra getting the financial hub of Mumbai as its capital.

In Maharashtra, beginning in the ’60s, Shiv Sena emerged as a political force. It highlighted issues such as employment for Marathi speakers, often positioning them against migrants. In continuation of such themes, it demanded renaming Bombay, saying it was changing a name given by the British. The Portuguese, who later gave Bombay to the British, are believed to have called the region “Bombai” (meaning good bay) in the 16th century. During British rule, the name evolved into Bombay.

“Mumbai” is said to be derived from Mumba Devi, a local Hindu goddess worshipped by the Kolis (a traditional fishing community), who are often considered the natives of the port city. According to legend, she is believed to have protected the city from a demon named Mumbaraka, after the Kolis prayed to Lord Brahma. The name Mumbai is a mix of “Mumba” and “Aai” (the Marathi word for mother).

When the BJP came to power in the state ’90s, in alliance with the Shiv Sena, BJP MP Ram Naik advocated for the name change. The city was finally renamed in 1995 under then Chief Minister and Shiv Sena leader Manohar Joshi. It received approval from the Central government, then led by the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) with Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

How would IIT Bombay become IIT Mumbai?

While it is theoretically possible to change the name of any IIT, it is not a simple administrative process.

The premier educational institutes were founded under the Indian Institute of Technology Act of 1961, which established the IITs as Institutes of National Importance. Thus, any change would require an amendment to the Act by passing a Bill in Parliament, which is a complex process involving consensus-building among parties.

With the CM’s letter, it remains to be seen whether the Central government will move the requisite amendment Bill. Notably, this marks the first time that a Maharashtra CM has raised the issue.

Before the latest controversy, the demand largely came from leaders of the Shiv Sena, under whose regime Bombay was renamed. In 2015, Shiv Sena’s South Mumbai MP, Arvind Sawant, raised the issue. At the time, then Union Law Minister D V Sadanand Gowda had said that a proposal would be put forward in the Union Cabinet. But following strong reactions from various stakeholders, especially from the institute, its students, and alumni, there was no significant development.

Why is there opposition to the name change?

Founded in 1958, IIT Bombay was the second IIT to be established in the country after IIT Kharagpur. Over the decades, it has cultivated a rich history and a global identity, thanks to alumni working in high-tech and lucrative industries across the world. Those opposed to the change argue that its name has come to be associated with its position in global rankings, research citations, international collaborations, and a strong alumni network. They say that a name change would risk diluting that identity.

An official from IIT Bombay said that a name change might also be unlikely because it would involve significant spending and revisions to ensure the update is reflected across various administrative aspects. This would include government records, several international databases, official logos, trademarks and the digital footprint of the institute.

Furthermore, whenever such demands have been raised previously, critics have pointed to other key establishments of the city that retain the name, including the Bombay High Court and the Bombay Stock Exchange.