New Delhi:

In keeping with the government’s efforts to move away from the colonial past, the President’s Secretariat announced on Thursday that two important halls of Rashtrapati Bhavan, where various ceremonies are held, are being renamed to be more reflective of “Indian cultural values and ethos”.

The Durbar Hall will now be called the ‘Ganatantra Mandap’ while the new name of Ashok Hall is ‘Ashok Mandap’.

In a statement, the Secretariat said the decision was taken by President Droupadi Murmu because the Rashtrrapati Bhavan – the office and residence of the President of India – is a symbol of the nation and continuous efforts are being made to make it more accessible to people. 

The Durbar Hall is the venue of important ceremonies and celebrations, including the National Awards. 

“The term ‘Durbar’ refers to courts and assemblies of Indian rulers and the British. It lost relevance after India became a Republic, that is, ‘Ganatantra’. The concept of ‘Ganatantra’ is deeply rooted in Indian society since the ancient times, making ‘Ganatantra Mandap’ an apt name for the venue,” the statement said. 

Ashok Hall was originally a ballroom and the Secretariat said the word ‘Ashok’ connotes someone who is “free from all sufferings” or “bereft of any sorrow”, besides referring to Emperor Ashok, “a symbol of unity and peaceful co-existence”. 

“Renaming ‘Ashok Hall’ as ‘Ashok Mandap’ brings uniformity in language and removes the traces of anglicisation while upholding the key values associated with the word ‘Ashok’,” it said. 

Reacting to the move, Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra took a dig at the government and said in Hindi, “There is no concept of ‘durbar’ now, but the concept of ‘shahanshah’ (emperor) still exists.”

Last year, the Rashtrapati Bhavan Gardens, popularly known as the Mughal Gardens, were renamed ‘Amrit Udyan’.

New Delhi:

Venues for different ceremonial functions, Rashtrapati Bhavan’s iconic ‘Durbar Hall’ and ‘Ashok Hall’ were on Thursday renamed ‘Ganatantra Mandap’ and ‘Ashok Mandap’, respectively.

Rashtrapati Bhavan, the office and the residence of the president of India, is a symbol of the nation, and an invaluable heritage of the people.

“Continuous efforts are being made to make it more accessible to people. There has been a consistent endeavour to make the ambience of the Rashtrapati Bhavan reflective of the Indian cultural values and ethos,” a statement issued by the President’s Secretariat said.

Accordingly, President Droupadi Murmu is pleased to rename two of the important halls of Rashtrapati Bhavan — ‘Durbar Hall’ and ‘Ashok Hall’ — as ‘Ganatantra Mandap’ and ‘Ashok Mandap’, respectively, it said.

‘Durbar Hall’ is the venue of important ceremonies and celebrations such as the presentation of national awards.

“The term ‘Durbar’ refers to courts and assemblies of Indian rulers and the British. It lost relevance after India became a Republic, that is, ‘Ganatantra’. The concept of ‘Ganatantra’ is deeply rooted in Indian society since ancient times, making ‘Ganatantra Mandap’ an apt name for the venue,” the statement said.

‘Ashok Hall’ was originally a ballroom.

“The word ‘Ashok’ connotes someone who is ‘free from all sufferings’ or is ‘bereft of any sorrow’,” the statement said.

Also, ‘Ashoka’ refers to Emperor Ashok, a symbol of unity and peaceful co-existence, it said.

“The national emblem of the Republic of India is the lion capital of Ashok from Sarnath. The word also refers to the Ashok tree, which has deep significance in Indian religious traditions as well as arts and culture. Renaming ‘Ashok Hall’ as ‘Ashok Mandap’ brings uniformity in language and removes the traces of anglicisation while upholding the key values associated with the word ‘Ashok’,” it said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

New Delhi:

Smriti Singh, the widow of Captain Anshuman Singh, stood before President Droupadi Murmu with folded hands. Alongside her stood Captain Singh’s mother, their shared grief palpable. Both of them were at the Rashtrapati Bhavan to accept the Kirti Chakra, India’s second-highest gallantry award, awarded posthumously to Captain Singh for his bravery during a fire incident in Siachen. 

“He would tell me, ‘I would die with the brass on my chest. I would not die an ordinary death,'” Smriti Singh recalled.

“We met on the first day of college. I don’t want to be dramatic but it was love at first sight. After a month, he got selected into the Armed Forces Medical College (AFMC). We met at an engineering college but then he got selected in a medical college. Super intelligent guy. From then on, after just one month of meeting, it was a long-distance relationship for eight long years,” she added. “Then we decided to get married. Unfortunately, within two months of our marriage, he got posted in Siachen.”

Cpt #AnshumanSingh was awarded #KirtiChakra (posthumous). It was an emotional moment for his wife & Veer Nari Smt Smriti who accepted the award from #President Smt #DroupadiMurmu. Smt Smriti shares the story of her husband’s commitment & dedication towards the nation. Listen in! pic.twitter.com/SNZTwSDZ1Z

— A. Bharat Bhushan Babu (@SpokespersonMoD) July 6, 2024

Captain Singh was posted with 26 Punjab as a medical officer in the Siachen Glacier area. On July 19, 2023, a short circuit led to a fire in an Indian Army ammunition dump around 3 am. Captain Singh saw a fibreglass hut engulfed in flames and immediately acted to save those trapped inside. He successfully rescued four to five individuals, however, the fire soon spread to a nearby medical investigation room. 

Captain Singh went back into the blazing structure. Despite his efforts, he could not escape the inferno, and was trapped inside before dying.

“Unfortunately, within two months of our marriage, he got posted in Siachen,” Ms Singh recounted. “On July 18, we had a long conversation about how our life would be in the next 50 years. On July 19 morning, I got a call that he is no more,” she said. “For the next 7-8 hours we were not ready to accept that anything of such sort has happened.”

“Now that I have the Kirti Chakra in my hand, maybe it is true. But it’s okay, he’s a hero. We can manage a little of our lives. He has given all his life to save other families, his army family,” Ms Singh said. 

Captain Singh was cremated with full state honours in Bhagalpur in Uttar Pradesh’s Deoria district on July 22, 2023.