Should Hyderabad be renamed as Bhagyanagar?

Recently Bharatiya Janata Party legislator, Raja Singh kicked up a controversy by declaring that the party will rename Hyderabad as Bhagyanagar, if voted to power. Contending that the city was known as Bhagyanagar until Quli Qutb Shah changed it to its current name in 1590. Hyderabad Times spoke to students across the city to find out what they think of the idea. The verdict was a unanimous ‘NO!’
Hyderabad has always been home to people from all parts of the country and from all the historic temples, churches and masjids in the city show that all religions have thrived here.Changing the name of the city that has been there for centuries isn’t appropriate, given the region has prospered culturally, politically and economically as ‘Hyderabad’. I also believe that our leaders must take opinions of people in the city as a whole before they attempt to rename it. As they say, “democracy is a government of the people, by the people, and for the people”, before doing anything like this a proper referendum must be conducted.
— M Rikitha, Gitam University
To me, it seems like a publicity stunt to grab attention ahead of the elections. Really, what is the need to change the name of Hyderabad to Bhagyanagar? Firstly, there is no evidence to prove conclusively that Bhagmati ever existed. Hyderabad isn’t just a name but it is an identity that has been synonymous with the region for over 400 years now. You can’t just change it one fine day. If the city is indeed renamed, it could do more harm than one could ever imagine. We have a lot more serious issues that need to be addressed.
— Kavya Methi, Bhavan’s Vivekananda College
I feel it’s a great initiative. Though I’m not against the name of Hyderabad but I wouldn’t mind considering Bhagyanagar as an alternative. I am a firm believer in the fact that names of places and people connect you to the past. If renaming Hyderabad as Bhagyanagar helps connect to our roots, I don’t see any harm in welcoming the new name.
— Ankitha Bhutada, INIFD
I’ve discussed this issue with a lot my friends and everyone thinks it’s the most preposterous idea they ever heard. There are a lot of people who are starving, striving for shelter and employment, don’t we have better issues to worry about? As far as I understand, the idea reeks of religious intolerance and this shouldn’t ever happen. I’m sure the city had another name before it was called Bhagyanagar, if you keep changing, how far back will you go in time? The beauty of India lies in its
diversity and by renaming cities on religious lines, there is a risk of dividing the country on sectarian lines.
— Kavita Khetawat, ST Pious x Degree & PG College for women
I don’t quite understand why it is required to change the name of cities. For one, I’ve grown up all my life as a Hyderabadi and it is disorienting to think of myself as anything else. Changing it back to Bhagyanagaram would reduce the ‘Hyderabad ki shaan’ as it would take a decade for an entire generation to get familiar with the word, forget identifying with the new identity. We also have to think about the repercussions on a global level. Hyderabad has become a brand and changing the name will sow confusion and dent the image the city has acquired as an IT destination.
— Akshat Thonangi, st mary’s College, yousufguda