Rashtrapati Bhavan’s Durbar Hall & Ashoka Hall renamed and Indianised

In an effort to remove the traces of colonialism and Indianise the symbol of modern India, President Droupadi Murmu has approved the renaming of two halls of the Rashtrapati Bhavan Durbar Hall’ and ‘Ashok Hall’ – as ‘Ganatantra Mandap’ and ‘Ashok Mandap’ respectively. 

On 25 July 2024, President Murmu also completed her two years in office as the 15th President of India.

Rashtrapati Bhavan is the official residence and office of the President of India and is the symbol of the modern Indian state and its people.

Gantantra Mandap and Ashok Mandap

The Durbar Hall of the Rashtrapati Bhavan, which has been renamed Ganatantra Mandap, hosts important ceremonies and celebrations, such as the presentation of National Awards. 

The British gave Durbar Hall the name, as 'Durbar' in Persian refers to courts and assemblies of Kings.

 With India becoming a Republic and a democratic country after the promulgation of the constitution on 26 January 1950, the word Durbar lost relevance, and hence, Ganatantra Mandap was chosen. 

Republic in Hindi means Ganatantra. It signifies that there is no rule of a King or Queen, and the Head of the State (President) and Head of the Government (Prime Minister) are elected by the people.

‘Ashok Hall’ was originally a ballroom, but it has been renamed Ashok Mandap to bring uniformity to the language and remove the trace of English colonialism.

About Rastrapathi Bhawan  

• Rastrapathi Bhawan is the official residence and office of the President of India.
• During the Delhi Durbar held by the British on 12 December 1911 and attended by the British Monarch  King George V, an announcement was made to shift the capital of British India from Kolkata (then Calcutta) to Delhi.
• British architect Edward Lutyen was given the task of designing the new capital and a house for the Viceroy of India. 
• The Viceroy was the representative of the British Monarch and ruled India on behalf of the British Crown.
• Construction of the Viceroy House started during Viceroy Lord Hardinge's tenure (1910-1916) and was completed during Viceroy Lord Irwin's tenure in 1929. 
• Lord Irwin was the first Viceroy to live in the Viceroy House.
• After independence, the Viceroy House was renamed Government House on 15 August 1947.
• The name of the Government House was changed to Rashtrapati Bhavan during the tenure of the first president of India, Dr Rajendra Parsad.
• Rastrapati Bhawan House is an H-shaped building built on 5 acres of land on a 330-acre estate. The four-floor building has 340 rooms,2.5 kilometres of corridors, and 190 acres of garden area called Mughal garden.

About President Droupadi Murmu 

• President Droupadi Murmu is the 15h President of India who was sworn in for a five-year term on 25 July 2022.
• She is the second woman to become president of India after Pratibha Patil Singh(12th President of India from 2002 to 2017 ).
• President Murmu, born into a Santhal tribal family in the Mayurbhanj district of Odisha, is the first tribal woman to become the president of India.
• She is the youngest person to become the President of India at the age of 64 years, breaking the record of  6th President(1977-82) of India Neelam Sanjeeva Reddy,