Devendra Fadnavis set to urge Narendra Modi on proposal to rename premier Mumbai institute

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has said that he will soon write a formal letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. In this letter, he will request both leaders to consider the proposal of renaming IIT Bombay as IIT Mumbai. Speaking on Wednesday, Fadnavis explained that the state government believes the institute’s name should reflect the official name of the city, which is Mumbai. According to him, a change to “IIT Mumbai” would bring uniformity with how the city is recognised across government documents, institutions, and public life.

The Chief Minister added that the demand for renaming the institute has been raised several times earlier as well. Many people in Maharashtra think that using “Bombay” is outdated because the city’s name was officially changed to “Mumbai” in 1995. Fadnavis said that it is therefore reasonable to update the name of such an important national institute. He expressed confidence that the Central government would look into the matter carefully once the request is placed before them.

Fadnavis also spoke about how the name change would not affect the institute’s reputation or legacy. Instead, he believes it would strengthen the connection between the institute and the city it belongs to. IIT Bombay is one of India’s most respected engineering institutions with a global reputation. The Chief Minister said that updating its name to match the city’s current name would simply bring clarity and maintain cultural identity.

Political reactions to Jitendra Singh’s remarks

The discussion around renaming IIT Bombay started again after a remark by Union Minister of State for Science and Technology Jitendra Singh. While addressing an event at IIT Bombay on Monday, he said, “As far as IIT Bombay is concerned, thank God it still is this name. You have not changed it to Mumbai.” He also added a similar line about IIT Madras, saying the name had not been changed to Chennai. His comments were seen as a light remark, but they triggered a strong political response, especially in Maharashtra.

Raj Thackeray, the president of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), sharply criticised the minister’s statement. According to Thackeray, the remark clearly shows the mindset of the government at the Centre. He said that a city’s name is a matter of cultural identity, and if Mumbai is the official name, then national institutions in the city should also reflect that name. Thackeray added that the minister’s comment was insensitive and ignored the sentiments of the people of Maharashtra.

Following this controversy, Chief Minister Fadnavis clarified that the state government was serious about the proposal to rename IIT Bombay. He said he would write to the Prime Minister and the Union Education Minister soon. Fadnavis emphasised that his appeal was not linked to any political statements or reactions but was based on the long-standing demand to bring the institute’s name in line with the city’s identity.

This debate once again highlights how names of cities and institutions remain emotionally and politically important in India. For many people, the use of “Bombay” instead of “Mumbai” feels outdated and disconnected from local culture. For others, the older names evoke history and are part of the city’s heritage. The Central government’s final decision will likely consider both perspectives.

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IIT Bombay’s recent performance in global rankings

While the discussion on renaming continues, IIT Bombay has recently achieved notable success in international rankings. The institute secured the 71st position in the QS Asia University Rankings 2026. It is one of the top-performing institutions from India in the Asian region. The institute was also ranked 235th in the QS World University Rankings Sustainability 2026, reflecting its efforts in sustainability-related areas such as climate action, resource management, and long-term educational impact.

Other Indian institutions also performed well in the QS Asia rankings. The top ten Indian entries in the list include:

• Rank 59: IIT Delhi

• Rank 64: IISc Bangalore

• Rank 70: IIT Madras

• Rank 71: IIT Bombay

• Rank 77: IIT Kanpur

• Rank 77: IIT Kharagpur

• Rank 114: IIT Roorkee

• Rank 115: IIT Guwahati

• Rank 156: Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore

• Rank 206: Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal

These rankings show that IIT Bombay continues to maintain its strong academic and research reputation. Whether the institute’s name changes or not, its standing among top Asian universities remains strong.

As discussions continue in political and administrative circles, students and faculty at IIT Bombay are focused on their academic and research activities. Many experts believe that even if the name is changed, the institute’s brand value, alumni network, and reputation will remain unchanged. A final decision will only be taken after the Centre reviews the proposal sent by the Maharashtra government.