Maharashtra govt renames Islampur in Sangli district to Ishwarpur, Centre’s nod awaited

Mumbai: The Maharashtra government on Friday officially announced the renaming of Islampur town in Sangli district to Ishwarpur. The declaration was made on the concluding day of the monsoon session in the state legislature. According to Food and Civil Supplies Minister Chhagan Bhujbal, the decision was approved during a cabinet meeting held on Thursday. Addressing the legislative assembly, Bhujbal confirmed that the move aligns with local sentiments and was formalised after due administrative procedure.

He said the state government will send the cabinet decision to the Centre for approval. The move came after a Hindutva organisation, Shiv Pratisthan, sent a memorandum to the Sangli collectorate demanding that Islampur’s name be changed to Ishwarpur.

Shiv Pratisthan behind the demand

Shiv Pratishtan is headed by Sambhaji Bhide whose supporters have said that they would not rest until the demand is met. A Shiv Sena leader from Islampur said that the demand for a change in name has been pending since 1986.

Maharashtra’s renaming drive

The decision to rename Islampur as Ishwarpur marks the latest chapter in Maharashtra’s ongoing renaming drive. Back in 2022, the state government had approved the renaming of Aurangabad to Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Osmanabad to Dharashiv – both of which later received clearance from the Centre. In a significant legal win for the state, the Bombay High Court last year dismissed multiple petitions challenging the official notifications related to these name changes. Meanwhile, another proposal seeking to rename Ahmednagar as Ahilyanagar still remains under consideration with the Union government.