Indian war heroes, gallantry awardees replace 246 British-era names in military zones

NEW DELHI: In a move to erase the signs of the colonial past, the Indian Army has undertaken a huge exercise to rename 246 roads, buildings and facilities across its military establishments and name them after Indian war heroes like Arun Khetrapal, Abdul Hamid, Dhan Singh Thapa, Sundar Singh and Piru Singh.

The exercise is part of a continued effort to move beyond colonial-era symbols and reinforce an identity anchored in India’s own military heritage, honouring the nation's gallantry awardees, war heroes and distinguished military leaders, Indian Army officials said.

According to the officials, the renaming exercise covers 124 roads, 77 residential colonies, 27 buildings and military facilities, and 18 other facilities, such as parks, training areas, sports grounds, gates and helipads.

In Delhi Cantonment, Kirby Place (Officers Accommodation) has been renamed Kenuguruse Vihar, while Mall Road has been renamed Arun Khetrapal Marg.

Other roads in the Delhi Cantt area to be renamed are Tigris Road (as Hoshiar Singh Marg), Cassel Road (Manekshaw Marg), Maude Road (DCB Road) as the extension of Thimayya Marg, Lorry Road (Ramawamy Parmeshwaran Marg), Gymnasium Road (Padmapani Acharya Marg), Kotwali Road (Capt Anuj Nayyar Road) and Probyn Road Timarpur (Shaitan Singh Marg).

Likewise, there have been changes in the names of residential colonies in Delhi Cantt area. Baird Place has been renamed Anuj Nayaar Vihar, Kirby Place as Kenuguruse Vihar, Tubrak Link as Gurdiyal Vihar, Kingsway Camp (Timarpur) as Joginder Singh Vihar, Nicholson Line as Digendra Kumar Vihar, Khyber Line (behind MC) as Abdul Hamid Vihar, Tigris Maude Line as Jadunath Vihar and Poultry Farm as Ram Chander Vihar.

In Ambala Cantt, Patterson Road Quarters has been renamed Dhan Singh Thapa Enclave, and in Mathura Cantt, New Horn Line is now Abdul Hamid Lines.

Queens Line Road in Jaipur Cantt will now be called Sundar Singh Marg, New Birdwood Line in Bareilly Cantt as Thimayya Colony and Malcolm Lines in Mhow Cantt as Piru Singh Lines.

At Indian Military Academy in Dehradun, Colins Block and Kingsway Block will be renamed Nubra Block and Kargil Block, respectively.

In Kolkata, while Fort William has been renamed Vijay Durg, Sports Complex in Rangapahar Military Station has been renamed Laishram Jyotin Singh Sports Complex. At the Zakhama Military Station, Spear Lake Marg is now called Hangpan Dada Marg.