The Republic of India has three principal short names, in both official and popular English usage, each of which is historically significant. All three originally designated a single entity comprising all the modern nations of the Indian subcontinent. These names are India, Bharat and Hindustan. The first Article of the Constitution of India states that "India, that is Bharat, shall be a union of states." Thus, India and Bharat are equally official short names for the Republic of India, while "Hindustan" is still widely used as an alternative name when Indians speak amongst themselves. "Hindustan" is also used in historical contexts (especially British India). Indians commonly refer to their country as Bharat, Hindustan or India depending on the context and language of conversation.
The following table lists the names of the Republic of India in each of the twenty-three constitutionally-recognised languages listed in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution of India.
Language | Long form | Transliteration | Short form | Transliteration |
---|---|---|---|---|
Assamese | ভাৰত গণৰাজ্য | Bharôt Gônôrajyô | ভাৰত | Bharôt |
Bengali | ভারতীয় প্রজাতন্ত্র | Bharotio Projatôntro | ভারত | Bharot |
Bhojpuri | भारत गणराज्य | Bhārat Gaṇarādzya | भारत | Bhārat |
English | Republic of India | India | ||
Gujarati | ભારતીય પ્રજાસત્તાક | Bhārtiya Prajāsattāk | ભારત | Bhārat |
Hindi | भारत गणराज्य | Bhārat Gaṇarājya | भारत | Bhārat |
Kannada | ಭಾರತ ಗಣರಾಜ್ಯ | Bhārata Gaṇarājya | ಭಾರತ | Bhārata |
Kashmiri | ہِندوستان | Hindustān | ||
Konkani | भारत गणराज्य | Bhārat Gaṇarājya | भारत | Bhārat |
Malayalam | ഭാരത ഗണരാജ്യം | Bhārata Gaṇarājyam | ഭാരതം, ഇന്ത്യ | Bhāratam, Intya |
Meitei Manipuri | ভারত গণরাজ্য | Bhārata Gaṇarājya | ভারত | Bhārata |
Marathi | भारतीय प्रजासत्ताक | Bhārtiya Prajāsattāk | भारत | Bhārat |
Nepali | भारत गणराज्य | Bhārat Gaṇarādzya | भारत | Bhārat |
Oriya | ଭାରତ ଗଣରାଜ୍ଯ | Bhārata Gaṇarājya | ଭାରତ | Bhārata |
Punjabi | ਭਾਰਤ ਗਣਤੰਤਰ | Bhārat Gantantar | ਭਾਰਤ | Bhārat |
Sanskrit | भारत गणराज्यम् | Bhārata Gaṇarājyam | भारतम् | Bhāratam |
Sindhi | भारत गणराज्य, ڀارت، هندستانڀارت، | Bhārat Gaṇarājya | भारत, ڀارت، | Bhārat |
Tamil | இந்தியக் குடியரசு | Intiyak kuṭiyaracu | இந்தியா | Intiyā |
Telugu | భారత గణతంత్ర రాజ్యము | Bhārata Gaṇataṇtra Rājyamu | భారతం | Bhāratam |
Urdu | جمہوریہ بھارت | Jumhūrīyat-e Bhārat | بھارت | Bhārat |