West Bengal’s Lok Bhavan has renamed six gates, several halls and rooms, and the Flagstaff House in Barrackpore after literary figures, social reformers, freedom fighters and leaders of tribal uprisings, according to a notification issued by the Governor’s office on October 7.
The South Gate, used by the President, Prime Minister and Governor, is now Rishi Bankim Dwar, commemorating author and poet Bankim Chandra Chatterjee. The road linking the gate to the building’s inner entrance has been named Kartavya Path, while the northern driveway is now Shakti Path.
The North Gate, which serves as the main entrance for visitors and members of the public, has been renamed Kabiguru Dwar after Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore. The South West Gate is now Dr Bidhan Chandra Roy Dwar, after the former West Bengal chief minister, and the South East Gate has been named Sidho Kanho Dwar after the tribal leaders associated with the Santhal Rebellion.
The remaining gates have been named after young revolutionary Khudiram Bose and social reformer Raja Rammohan Roy. The North West Gate is now Khudiram Bose Dwar, while the North East Gate has been renamed Raja Rammohan Roy Dwar. An Ashoka Pillar has also been engraved before the name of each gate.
Several interior spaces have also received new names. The Governor’s office is now Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee Kaksh, while the Governor’s residence has been renamed Shanti Niketan. The Throne Room, where oath-taking ceremonies are held, is now Vande Mataram Sabhaghar. The Prince of Wales Suite has become Gurudev Kaksh.
Other changes include the renaming of the North Marble Hall as Paramahansa Kaksh, the Central Marble Hall as Vivekananda Kaksh and the South Marble Hall as Ma Sarada Kaksh. The Blue Drawing Room is now Mahananda Kaksh, the Brown Dining Hall is Ganga Sabhaghar, and the library has been renamed Vidyasagar Granthagar. The grand staircase with the north portico is now Netaji Subhas Prangan.
The Flagstaff House in Barrackpore will now be known as Lok Vihar. The renaming exercise comes as a 10-member committee formed by the West Bengal government examines proposals to rename roads, bridges and other public places across the state.
The latest changes also follow the renaming of Raj Bhavan as Lok Bhavan in November 2025, during the tenure of Governor C V Ananda Bose. The new names announced for the state’s official residence and its associated spaces are intended to associate the building with figures linked to Bengal’s literary, social, political and tribal history.
