The hosts strengthened their chances of securing a slot in the semifinals with a 70-run victory in Abu Dhabi
sports3 hours ago
India's well-heeled city of Gurgaon on the outskirts of New Delhi on Tuesday was formally renamed 'Gurugram' by the local Hindu nationalist government, an official said.
Also dubbed Millennium City, the satellite town near the capital is home to scores of top multinational companies, expensive condominiums, a world-class golf course, top hospitals and gleaming shopping malls.
"Yes, that is correct. Gurgaon will now be called Gurugram," Shiv Bhatia, a spokesman for the government of northern Haryana state told AFP when asked about reports, without giving further details.
The state government, controlled by the Bharatiya Janata Party switched to "Gurugram" - an ancient name for the area meaning "village of the guru" - following a longstanding local campaign, reports said.
The guru referred to in the new name is Guru Dronacharya, a master archer who figures in the ancient Hindu epic, the Mahabharata.
"The District derived its name from the name of Guru Dronacharya... it came to be known as Guru-gram, which in course of time got distorted to Gurgaon," the district's official website states.
Several Indian cities have been renamed in recent years to reflect local languages and nationalist sentiment.
The southern state of Kerala renamed its capital Trivandrum to Thiruvananthapuram and Maharashtra state's Bombay became Mumbai.
Similarly, southern Tamil Nadu's state capital, Madras, was renamed Chennai and West Bengal's Calcutta became Kolkata.
India's IT hub of Bangalore was also changed to Bengaluru, meaning "the town of boiled beans".
Twitter meanwhile had a field day once the news was announced.
"How many Grams would you like sir?"
"I'd like a #Gurugram."
"But that's like a whole City!"
- Ashwin Mushran (@ashwinmushran) April 12, 2016
Gurgaon would be called #Gurugram? Let's rename Kerala to Kilogram while we are at it.
- Elroy (@TheElroy) April 12, 2016
We are pretty sure that will be the next step. #GurgaonNameChange #Gurugram #Guragon pic.twitter.com/nrmedvpxER
- ScoopWhoop (@ScoopWhoop) April 12, 2016
Many people slept in Gurgaon and woke up in #Gurugram an hour later.
- Roý (@MixedRaita) April 12, 2016
After #Gurugram I vote to change the name of the country to IIN-DIA.
- Sahil Shah (@SahilBulla) April 12, 2016
Gurgaon will now be called Gurugram. Instagram will now be called Instagaon.
- Ajith (@ajith27) April 12, 2016
Girls, stop clicking selfies, Gurugram has nothing to do with Instagram
- Ra_Bies (@Ra_Bies) April 12, 2016
Feeling a bit better now about staying in Noida #Gurugram
- Aman Sharma (@AmanKayamHai) April 12, 2016
Does not matter to me if its Gurgaon or Gurugram,because for me its "ALWAYS TRAFFIC JAM" pic.twitter.com/g4BJG82VSI
- Deadpool_Thug (@bhaisaabkoram) April 12, 2016
Gurgaon is now Gurugram? Congrats to all contract suppliers of stationery to Haryana Government...
- Kerala Paneer Forum (@sidin) April 12, 2016
Gurugram is just an Instagram with pictures of traffic on the highway.
- Pranav (@pranavsapra) April 12, 2016
Just heard that Gurgaon has been renamed to 'Don't Come Here'.-AFP
- Ashish Shakya (@stupidusmaximus) April 12, 2016
The hosts strengthened their chances of securing a slot in the semifinals with a 70-run victory in Abu Dhabi
sports3 hours ago
The group has a presence in five countries and eyes further geographic expansion, especially in India
markets3 hours ago
The severity of the situation gradually eased from Thursday evening, when it receded in the north and east of the country
weather4 hours ago
Cyclone Hidaya is predicted to cause torrential rain, strong winds and powerful and dangerous waves in the flood-ravaged country
africa4 hours ago
Dror Or's wife Yonat was killed in the October 7 attack and two of their three children were abducted and then freed in November
mena4 hours ago
Lawyer Deepak Bikram Mishra, who filed a petition urging the court to curtail climbing permits back in 2019, confirmed
world4 hours ago
Foreign ministry says the new curbs on four settlers and two groups follow "unprecedented rise" in settler violence over the past year
world4 hours ago
Heavy rains had been pounding the country since midnight on Thursday, prompting authorities to temporarily suspend the service
uae4 hours ago