List of all Indian States & UTs whose Name is Changed [1950-2026]
Explore the complete list of Indian States and Union Territories whose names were changed between 1950 and 2026. From Madras to Tamil Nadu and Kerala to Keralam, discover historical reasons, constitutional amendments, and official effective dates in detail.
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India is a diverse nation where history, culture, language, and regional identity play a very important role in shaping state boundaries and names.
Over the years, after we got independence on 15 August 1947, several indian states, including Union Territory have officially changed their name.
Recently, Kerala's name has also changed to “Keralam”. According to the PTI, the Union Cabinet on February 24, 2026 (Tuesday) approved a proposal of the Kerala government to change the name of the state to “Keralam”, Union minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said.
#Cabinet approves the proposal for alteration of the name of the State of ‘Kerala’ as ‘Keralam’: I&B Minister @AshwiniVaishnaw #CabinetDecisions #CabinetBriefing @MIB_India pic.twitter.com/AkPNbsiNaI
— All India Radio News (@airnewsalerts) February 24, 2026
The changes were made through constitutional amendments and parliamentary approval, ensuring the legal recognition of the Government of India.
Today’s in this article, we will explore the list of Indian states and UTs whose name is changed.
List of all Indian States & UTs whose Name is Changed
The renaming of Indian States and Union Territories is mainly driven by the linguistic identity, cultural pride, historical significanceand regional sentiments. Below in the table, given a list of all indian states and UTS, whose name is Changed.
| S.No. | Old Name | New Name | Effective Date |
| 1 | United Provinces | Uttar Pradesh | 24 January 1950 |
| 2 | East Punjab | Punjab | 26 January 1950 |
| 3 | Hyderabad | Andhra Pradesh | 1 November 1956 |
| 4 | Travancore-Cochin | Kerala | 1 November 1956 |
| 5 | Madhya Bharat | Madhya Pradesh | 1 November 1959 |
| 6 | Madras State | Tamil Nadu | 14 January 1969 |
| 7 | North-East Frontier Agency (NEFA) | Arunachal Pradesh | 21 January 1972 |
| 8 | Mysore | Karnataka | 1 November 1973 |
| 9 | Laccadive, Minicoy, and Amindivi Islands | Lakshadweep | |
| 10 | Calcutta | Kolkata | 1 January 2001 |
| 11 | Uttaranchal | Uttarakhand | 1 January 2007 |
| 12 | Orissa | Odisha | 1 November 2011 |
| 13 | Kerala | Keralam | 24 February 2026 |
Source: prsindia
Conclusion
The renaming of Indian States and Union Territories reflects the nation’s evolving identity, cultural pride, and democratic process. These changes highlight India’s commitment to respecting regional languages and heritage.
Recently, on February 24, 2026, Kerala was renamed as “Keralam”, which shows the country’s administrative and historical landscape.
Prabhat Mishra is a Subject Matter Expert and digital journalist with an extensive background in the competitive exam landscape and over 4 years of experience in education, national and international news, and current affairs. Over his tenure with top knowledge platforms like Mentorship India, IAS BABA, IAS SARTHI, and now Jagran Josh, he has a deep understanding of government exams like UPSC and State PCS, including UP and Bihar, as he has already qualified for the UPPCS 2022 Mains and Bihar 68th Mains. With his core expertise in history, polity, geography & current affairs, he specialises in creating well-researched, aspirant-centric content and simplifying complex topics for competitive examinations.
