BJP MP Praveen Khandelwal has urged the Union government to rename India’s national capital Delhi as “Indraprastha”, a name he said reflects the city’s ancient civilisational, historical and cultural heritage.
In a letter addressed to Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday, Khandelwal said the origins of Delhi trace back thousands of years and embody the enduring spirit of Indian civilisation.
He stated that the city was originally established as Indraprastha by the Pandavas during the Mahabharata era, representing dharma, justice and governance rooted in moral principles.
“The city of Delhi is not merely a modern capital but the living legacy of the great city of Indraprastha from the Mahabharata era, where governance based on dharma and ethics was first established. The time has come to restore to our national capital its true name and identity,” Khandelwal wrote.
In his proposal, the BJP MP also requested that Old Delhi Railway Station be renamed “Indraprastha Junction” and Indira Gandhi International Airport be renamed “Indraprastha Airport”.
He further suggested that statues of the Pandavas be installed at a prominent location in the capital to honour their role in establishing Indraprastha as the seat of power and moral governance.
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Copies of his letter have also been sent to Union Ministers Ashwini Vaishnaw, Ram Mohan Naidu, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, and Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta.
Khandelwal emphasised that renaming Delhi would restore its ancient identity and serve as an act of historical justice and cultural revival. He cited examples of other ancient Indian cities such as Ayodhya, Prayagraj, Ujjain and Varanasi, which have reconnected with their original names and traditional identities.
“When other ancient cities are being restored to their original names, Delhi too deserves to reclaim its glorious identity as Indraprastha,” he wrote.
Tracing the city’s evolution from Indraprastha to modern-day Delhi, Khandelwal noted that the region has remained continuously inhabited since the Mahabharata period and evolved as a major centre for trade and governance through the Mauryan, Gupta, Rajput, Sultanate, Mughal and British eras.
He added that restoring the name Indraprastha would not only revive cultural pride but also promote spiritual and cultural tourism, thereby boosting trade, employment and the local economy.
“Renaming Delhi as ‘Indraprastha’ will restore history and symbolise our civilisational pride. The name represents India’s ancient values of righteousness, governance and culture. It will enrich national pride, inspire future generations and open new avenues for tourism, employment and economic growth,” Khandelwal said.
The BJP MP concluded that the move would reaffirm India’s global identity as a civilisation deeply rooted in its ancient heritage while aligning with the ongoing efforts to revive traditional names of historic cities across the country.
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