It is still Bangalore International Airport
The Hindu

The Union Government is yet to approve the change of name of Bangalore to Bengaluru but Bangalore International Airport Ltd (BIAL) seems to have jumped the gun and named the upcoming airport at Devanahalli as Bengaluru International Airport.

Although Kannada organisations had suggested to the State Government several names related to erstwhile rulers of the region, the BIAL board decided on the name and sent the proposal to Union Government for approval. Pending approval, the BIAL had already changed the name on its website. The timing of the decision had raised eyebrows as a popularly elected government was not in place.

Sources said the new international airport at Devanahalli could not be called “Bengaluru” International Airport till the Union Government approved the change in name.

“There is no question of officially changing the name to Bengaluru without getting approval from the Union Government,” a top State Government official, who has been associated with the BIAL, told The Hindu on Wednesday.

“The board of directors of the Bangalore International Airport Ltd. in its last meeting decided to send a proposal to the Government to use “Bengaluru” instead of Bangalore. Besides it was also decided to adopt a new logo for the BIAL.”

“However, the name Bengaluru can be used officially only subject to clearance by the Union Government,” the official said.

Prerogative
Meanwhile, the officials pointed out that it would be the prerogative of an elected government to name or change the names of the airports.

On the other hand, the BIAL said the company and its shareholders, when preparing for opening of the new airport, felt a clear need to focus on the destination (city of Bangalore) and not on the operator and hence adapted a new logo inspired by the flowers of the garden city.

The statement said: “The new Bangalore airport now has a new identity inspired by flowers of Bangalore City. It will reflect the reputation of Bangalore as the Garden City. Furthermore, we have adapted to the new city name as Bengaluru.”

Protest
Meanwhile, several activists of Kannada organisations on Wednesday staged a protest in BIAL worksite and obstructed movement of traffic from the National Highway 7 demanding the airport be named after the Bangalore founder Kempegowda.

Chief Project Officer of BIAL Sivaramakrishnan S. Iyer, who received a memorandum from the protesters, said the decision was left to the Centre and that the protesters should approach the State authorities to prevail upon the Centre to name the airport as Kempegowda International Airport.

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Airport to be named after Bengaluru
Deccan Herald

The Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL), the main promoters of the country's first greenfield airport confirmed to Deccan Herald that the new airport would henceforth be called the "Bengaluru International Airport".

The Garden City may still be awaiting a green signal from the Union Home Ministry to get its name changed from Bangalore to Bengaluru. But the promoters of the new Devanahalli international airport have gone a step ahead and christened the airport “Bengaluru International Airport”.

The airport has also been given a new logo, reflecting by the City’s floral charm.

“We have adopted the City’s proposed name of Bengaluru, and the airport will be called  Bengaluru International Airport,“ said BIAL Officials.

Ever since the airport construction commenced in July 2005, suggestions and demands had come from several quarters on a suitable name. The debate had even triggered protests from various organisations who wanted it to be named after prominent personalities like founder of Bangalore Kempe Gowda; former Mysore Diwan Sir M Visvesvaraya, matinee idol Rajkumar and Tipu Sultan who was born in Devanahalli.

However, both the State government and promoters have opted to name the airport after the City. Their rationale: It is more apt for an international airport to be named after its city as is the case with several airports round the world.

New logo & identity
BIAL has also unveiled a new logo for the airport. Officials said the logo that was being sported till now was representative of the BIAL company and its shareholders, Siemens Projects Ventures, Larsen & Toubro, Unique Zurich Airport,  Karnataka State Investment and Industrial Development Corporation and Airports’ Authority of India.

“As we prepare for the opening of the new airport, we felt a clear need to focus on the destination (the City of Bangalore) and not on the operator. The new Bangalore airport now has a new identity inspired by the flowers of Bangalore City. It will reflect the reputation of Bangalore as the Garden City,” the officials added.

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I believe in freedom of speech but whoever voted for Devegowda, Duuuude please tell me it's a joke (a nasty one at that).

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I have not yet voted. But hey, he did hand a hand in the airport didn't he? ;)

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What will the airport code be? Will it be BLR or something else?

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Maybe if he shells out money for the various sub-projects around the airport we could possible allow the last half (Gowda) of his name..he he

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I think it will continue to be BLR. I dont think they will change it. ---- oh!! no no, I meant it tongue in cheek, it took a while before DG held his peace about the airport at devanahalli. i thought we should never forget the anguish... :)

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Bengaluru International Airport sounds just fine! Apt codes just remain the same just like MAA is for Chennai.. Btw does anyone know the name of Calcutta International Airport? It is Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose airport! Hardly matters.. Sir MV name was good as he was instrumental for the progress of Karnataka region..but maybe not be too current (Bangalore still drinks cauvery water cos of him!).. Kempegowda is synonymous with Bangalore and he has his identity..so Bengaluru itself is fine! We were/kind of are in the Garden city..we are also an export hub for flowers in India..go the logo just fits in fine too! Btw the recent vicitms of road expansions are the good old trees on the nrupathunga road around the excise dept..

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We should go for Bengaluru International Airport. Many Greats like Sir MV, Kempegowda, Tippusultan, His Highness Late Jayachamarajendra Wodeyar and many more (Please exclude DG) have contributed directly or indirectly to bengaluru development no doubt about it. Begaluru is already a BRAND in the World in it own means, this was possible because all the greats have helped to build this brand in thier own capacity... let us build their Bengaluru and our Bengaluru... I feel even they would have suggested the name given by BIAL rather than their names and ask us to improve BRAND and City BENGALURU. What do my fellow netizens say ???

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This naming places and things after people is a relatively new phenomenon. A majority of our places are named after the characteristics of the object being named. Kudure-mukha (horse face), Tannir baavi (cold water well)Bidadi(rest area), Madivala(washerman's lake) and so on... Bengaluru IA is apt. But on the other hand the most defining characteristic of this airport has been its frugality and its economy of flair and style. So, perhaps we should consider, chaukasi international. its a chauka in form too. so... ;)

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Don't know about Calcutta airport but i have noticed that when you land at Chennai or Mumbai airport the airline crew mention 'Welcome to Kamaraj/Chatrapati Shivaji airport' as the case may be. IMHO, It's better that someone mentions the names of these greats rather than just equating these ppl to bengaluru and saying it is ok.

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i think some nice oversized stylized posters with nice museum quality photographs and a short biographies would do a lot more.

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How can you justify putting up Deve Gowda International Airport as an option even? Have we not suffered enough already because of this chap and his family? And "Indira/Rajiv/Sonia" ??? please give us all a break.

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Hi all, I feel either we should vote for either BENGALURU international airpost or SRI CHAMUNDESWARI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT as name it self represents complete Karnatakas history ,,,,

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I dont understand the craze with changing names around all the time. The language you are speaking in should dictate the name you use. For example on a 1-rupee coin it says "India" in english and "Bharat" in Hindi. There isnt an attempt to spell the English name in Hindi, and the Hindi name in English is there? Another example: London is called London in English, in Spanish people say "Londres". Similarily if we are speaking in english our city is Bangalore, if we are speaking in Kannada, it is Bengaluru. So if the airports name is to be in english it should be Bangalore International Airport. If its going to be in Kannada it should be Bengaluru (and whatever international aiport is in Kannada). Or you just have an english name AND a kannada name. Pretty straightforward stuff!

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Kempegowda's descendants sacrificed their lands in Devanahalli and it is a tribute to their sacrifices that BIA should be renamed to KIA.

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I think it should be named HAL Airport. I'm sure many people would be happy. BTW, HAL here stands for Hyder ALi ;) :D

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Either Bangalore or Bengaluru is better than a person's name.  The famous person, if he is truly a humble person, who has done good for Karnataka won't want personal glory.  Rather he as with any person who wants to do good for others, would himself rather not have the glory.  If he wanted the glory himself he wouldn't be worthy of it, don't you think?  Part of the definition of a good person is an unselfish person.

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Tarle, you missed an important option there - Devanahalli International Airport. We should preserve the name of the place, the airport belongs to Devenahalli first !

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Devanahalli people have sacrificed a lot to give airport to Bangalore. It should go in that village's name.

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This comment has been moved here.

[{Admin} We got the same press release yesterday, those have been posted. Looks like BIAL is trying to respond to discussions here and in some sections of media about the local employment aspect]

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No offense but aren't the anem of dead people put on tombs??? This city is alive, the people are alive and the new airport will perhaps bring a new lease of life to the city. It has already got people up in arms to bring a change, fight for better infrastructure. The airport should be for the people and it should be named for the city the people come from. It has to be Bangalore or bengaluru International Airport. Not after people who are dead and gone, whose actions and acheivements while great are no longer existing today!

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Nada Prabhu Shri Kempegowda was instrumental in founding Bengaluru. Had it not been for his pioneering water works - 500 years before Sir M V, Bengaluru would have not been what it is today.

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Very few of Kempe Gowda's kere's remain kere's now. And, anyway, he's too far back in history for one to relate to.

And, Zach, if you name it after a living person, some day or the other, he'll also die. So, that can't be a criterion.

I am happy with the name as it is. 

Muralidhar Rao

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Totally agree with you Muralidhar, which why I say let it be named after Bangalore ....

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It is "BENGALURU"

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Bengaluru Intl Airport is good choice. If you think of naming airport with  person, there is no end to list.

 

On the lighter side, we can name it as DG Intl Airport with teminals/halls named after thier sons.

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Humour +5 

-- Praveen Sundaram AkA PhotoYogi

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No personal attacks. There is fine line between humor and cynicism.

[deleted some comments here]

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Sorry for that comment ...

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Dear Siddanth,

London is called LONDON in England and not 'LONDRES'. England never bothered to spanish or french.

Many north indians say BHANGLUR and Telugu people say BENGULOORU, so should Bangalore really bother about how the hell others pronounce or write?

If the name of any person is same in any language why not it is BENGALURU? in all other languages??

Is it not a minimum right for the people of Karnataka to correct the spelling of their own city. Many people who voice against this are north indians. Why they have not voiced against renaming of Bombay. and Why Chatrapati Shivaji Intl Airport has only one name in two languages? (not Bombay Intl Airport in English??)

Please honor the sentiments of the locals people, who want to live their own way.

Thanks.

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In fact North Indians say Bunglore. But I wonder why there is a fight on the spelling of Bengaluru vs. Bengalooru.

We are trying to translate a phonetic Kannada in to a non-phonetic English. As long as the spelling is right in Kannada, why are the KRV so agitated ?

Very frankly, we should get out of this individual imortalising. There is absolutely no need.

-----------------------

Regards

Devesh R. Agarwal

Visit my aviation blog at http://aviation.deveshagarwal.com

 

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Stumbled on this thread, since it is better late than never let me take a shot...how about BIDA? Bangalore's Decent International Airport.? the same short form can serve Bangalore Devanahalli International Airport   And please, let's keep people's names out if it (let the past RIP and let the present LIP..Live In Peace) 

 

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