Will Agra be renamed? University panel to examine if city had 'ancient name'
Agra (UP), Nov 18: An Uttar Pradesh department has set in motion an exercise to examine if this city was known by any other name in ancient times, triggering speculation that the Yogi Adityanath government is planning to rename Agra.
Agra's Bhim Rao Ambedkar University has now constituted a committee to go into the issue, following a letter from the local administration, Vice Chancellor Arvind Dixit told PTI on Monday.
According to him, some Agra residents posted a demand to rename Agra on the state government's Stamp and Registration Department website. This was then referred to Agra administration, which in turn approached the university.
In state capital Lucknow, there was no official confirmation on any move to rename the City of Taj. However, in the recent past, Allahabad has been renamed Prayagraj and Faizabad district is now called Ayodhya.
Ambedkar university's History department head Sugam Anand said a panel will examine the issue.
A committee has been formed comprising local research scholars, research students and myself. The committee's work will be to delve into the archival and documented records in history to see if Agra ever had an ancient name, he told PTI.
He said informal discussions are being held with experts to start gathering information. He also invited participation from the public if they had any evidence on any ancient name for Agra.
Anand said there have been a lot of stories about ancient Agra going by some other name, but no documented evidence is available yet .
On Agra's ancient history, he said a hoard of coins with the name ‘Guhil Sri' or `Shri Guhil' inscribed on them was found in 1863.
Agra Fort is said to stand on a site traditionally known as Badalgarh.
A former Bharatiya Janata Party MLA, late Jagan Prasad Garg, had demanded that Agra should be renamed Agravan.
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RCB beat MI by 18 runs after batters fire
Mumbai (PTI): Royal Challengers Bengaluru skipper Rajat Patidar, Phil Salt and Virat Kohli blasted half-centuries as the defending champions beat Mumbai Indians by 18 runs in an Indian Premier League match here on Sunday.
Salt (78 off 36 balls) and Kohli (50 off 38 balls) stitched together a 120-run stand for the opening wicket before Patidar scored a rapid 53 off just 20 balls as RCB posted 240 for 4.
In response, Mumbai Indians were restricted to 222 for 5, with RCB spinner Suyash Sharma (2/47) putting the skids on the home side with a double strike in the eighth over, from which they could not recover.
Sherfane Rutherford top-scored for MI with an unbeaten 71 off 31 balls.
While opener Rohit Sharma appeared to be struggling with a hamstring issue and had to retire hurt on 19, his partner Ryan Rickelton made 37, while Suryakumar Yadav (33) and Hardik Pandya (40) were the other contributors for MI.
Brief scores:
Royal Challengers Bengaluru 240 for 4 in 20 overs (Phil Salt 78, Virat Kohli 50, Rajat Patidar 53, Tim David 35 not out).
Mumbai Indians: 222 for 5 in 20 overs (Sherfane Rutherford 71 not out, Ryan Rickelton 37, Hardik Pandya 40; Suyash Sharma 2/47).
