Erasure of Muslim legacy: Barkatullah varsity set for renaming in Madhya Pradesh
Bhopal, : In a move reflecting a broader political effort to reshape public memory and downplay centuries of Muslim cultural and intellectual contributions in India, authorities at a major public university in Madhya Pradesh have approved a proposal to remove the name of Muslim anti-colonial revolutionary Maulana Barkatullah Bhopali from the institution and rename it after a medieval Hindu ruler.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the Executive Council of Barkatullah University has approved a proposal to rename the institution as “Vagdevi Bhojpal University” after Raja Bhoj, forwarding it to the state governor for final approval.
The move has triggered broader debate about historical representation, identity and the perceived systematic erasure of Muslim historical figures from public institutions in favor of narratives aligned with Hindu nationalist politics.
Originally established in 1970 as Bhopal University, the institution was renamed in 1988 after Maulana Barkatullah Bhopali, a prominent anti-colonial revolutionary known for his international efforts to mobilize support against British colonial rule.
Born in Bhopal in 1854, Maulana Barkatullah emerged as one of the most globally connected Indian revolutionaries of his time. Associated with anti-colonial networks across Asia, Europe, and North America, he played a key role in advocating independence from British rule long before India achieved freedom.
The renaming proposal also comes alongside wider academic restructuring plans within the university, including proposals to reorganize traditional departments such as Arabic and Persian under a new Department of Comparative Languages and Culture.
The move adds to a growing trend of renaming universities, cities, roads and public institutions across India, where names associated with Muslim rulers, scholars, and historical figures are increasingly being replaced under Hindu supremacist governments.
