Bhopal: Barkatullah University in Bhopal is set to be renamed Vagdevi Bhojpal University after the institution’s Executive Council approved a long-pending proposal to change its name.
The proposal will now be sent for approval to the Governor of Madhya Pradesh, who serves as the university’s Chancellor.
The university was named in 1988 after freedom fighter Mohamed Barakatullah Bhopali, a prominent nationalist leader from Bhopal. Born in 1854, Barakatullah played a key role in India’s freedom struggle and served as the Prime Minister of India’s first provisional government-in-exile, established in Afghanistan between 1915 and 1919.
According to the proposal, the new name is intended to reflect the historical and cultural heritage of Bhopal. “Vagdevi” is another name for Saraswati, the Hindu goddess of knowledge, while “Bhojpal” is associated with the legendary King Bhoj, after whom Bhopal is believed to have derived its name.
The proposal approved by the Executive Council reportedly stated that, compared to King Bhoj, there was no significant contribution to the region directly attributable to Barakatullah other than his being a resident of Bhopal. The proposal argued that the new name would better represent the city’s historical identity and cultural legacy.
The renaming move comes amid a broader trend of changing the names of institutions and landmarks in Bhopal.
In August last year, the Bhopal Municipal Corporation passed a proposal seeking to rename three institutions named after Hamidullah Khan, the last Nawab of Bhopal.
Several landmarks in the city have already undergone name changes in recent years. In 2021, Habibganj Railway Station was renamed Rani Kamlapati Railway Station in honour of Rani Kamlapati, a Gond queen who ruled the region during the 18th century.
More recently, in January 2025, the Madhya Pradesh government approved the renaming of 11 villages in Bhopal district as part of a wider initiative to revise place names across the region.
The proposed renaming of Barkatullah University is expected to reignite debate over historical legacy, cultural identity and the naming of public institutions in Madhya Pradesh.