Raj Path to Kartavya Path: How India is accepting Bharat

“No real change in history has ever been achieved by discussion”- Subhash Chandra Bose My earliest memory of Republic Day is of watching the parade with my father on 26 January 1967. I remember the ride on his new Vespa scooter to somewhere in the India Gate area, parking behind a large crowd and feeling lost till he hoisted me on his shoulders to see beyond the million heads. The thrill has stayed with me ever since!

Raj Path, as it was then called, was known till Independence as ‘King’s Way’, named so in 1911 to mark the coronation of King George V. In fact, his statue adorned a prominent canopy near India Gate till as late as 1968, when it had to be removed due to public resentment. There was also a ‘King’s Way Camp’ established a few miles off India Gate at the time of shifting the capital from Calcutta to Delhi.

Much later, when I was posted in South Block, I had a different view of Raj Path (literal translation of King’s Way) and the areas around it - more controlled, tightly regulated, and celebrated in the hi-fi culture of the powerful elite. I remember the traffic restrictions during Parliament sessions, VIP visits and the regular movements of the Prime Minister. The haughtiness and arrogance of the police personnel manning the ‘route’ appeared less from a security point of view and more from the superiority of the entitled!

I also remember the frequently unhygienic staircases of the South Block, the pigeon-hole spaces created for additional offices, the mass of wires strung along corridors, as also the blocking of majestic verandas. The maze of corridors leading to various ministries and the PMO was both fascinating and daunting to me, especially as a Staff Officer when I had to take my boss to some meeting there! Sena Bhawan, though of much later vintage, was none the better, but hutments were the worst office spaces I encountered!

Decolonising the Mind

Raj Path was rechristened as Kartavya Path on January 23, 2022. The decision to change the names of many such colonial landmarks is part of a broader effort to decolonise the mindset, as also to inculcate pride in our glorious civilisational history. There is a felt need to step into the future with confidence in our inherent capability and to forge a strong foundation for a ‘Viksit Bharat’, which shall lead the world from 2047 till 2147 and beyond! ‘Kartavya’ means ‘duty’ in Sanskrit, and this renaming has broadly shifted the symbolism from one of ruling power to civic responsibility. This symbolism has been criticised by many detractors, but indeed it is a much-needed psychological and emotional tool to reset the national mindset.

Be it the inauguration of the new Parliament, installation of the Hangul besides the Speaker’s Chair, naming of various entry points of the complex, new office buildings along the boulevard, conversion of South and North Block as museums, or the construction of the National War Memorial — these and numerous other initiatives have started a high tide of nationalism which is very heartening and exhilarating at the same time. As I pen these thoughts on January 23, 2026, I am reminded of the euphoria on the same day in 2022 when the hologram of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose was unveiled by the Prime Minister under the famous canopy lying vacant since 1968, and the name ‘Kartavya Path’ was revealed. This event had an extremely powerful impact on the national psyche, which needs to be strengthened, highlighted and warmly applauded.

The Changing Landscape

There is a subtle shift in the governance model — to lead the push for self-reliance, youth empowerment and manufacturing, and to encourage innovation for an integrated, modern and capable India that is Bharat. Focus on digitisation and automation has brought about dramatic changes in how we conduct our day-to-day lives, so much so that most of us have forgotten our lives of 15 years back! I remember my younger lawyer son being teased by his colleagues as ‘Ameer Vakil’, and he used to respond light-heartedly by saying, ‘It is not easy, try sitting on a fat wallet!!’ Nowadays, almost no one carries a wallet; they get along with cash or credit cards, or by doing transactions via the phone!

The New Education Policy 2025 focuses on holistic learning, digital integration and skill development. This builds on the foundations laid by NEP-2020, aiming for greater alignment with 21st-century needs.

The legal system is being modernised to align with our ethos in the modern set-up. The codes have been overhauled and thousands of obsolete laws have been scrapped. The goals of comprehensive legal reforms in criminal law modernisation, judicial system efficiency, economic and commercial law, and social justice are to:

• Create an effective, humane and equitable legal framework;
• Enhance access to justice and reduce delays;
• Modernise laws to address contemporary challenges like terrorism and cybercrime;
• Strengthen investor confidence and economic growth.

We have our own smart software suite, ‘Zoho’, which offers more than 55 solutions for various personal and business needs in multilingual mode. Social media has exploded with tonnes of content in local languages. India is the largest incubator of start-ups. Quantum computing, chip manufacturing and artificial intelligence are poised for explosive growth. Many states have geared up to absorb huge investments and set up gigafactories. The traction obtained by the Indian delegation,

with Chief Ministers of ten states accompanying it, at the World Economic Forum 2026 is unprecedented!

The recently announced punitive tariffs, H-1B visa fee hike and related aggressive measures by the US government have failed to dampen the spirit of an invigorated Indian economy and our young entrepreneurs. There is a renewed sense of belonging and rekindled pride in being Indian, which is percolating down to every town, village and hamlet.

Way to Go

Going back to my Army days, I recollect the pride when greeting by ‘Jai Hind’ was enforced in the Army around 2012. It was also a great feeling to see a sign spanning a wide road in Delhi Cantt proclaiming, ‘Nation First Always.’ I personally have always had the utmost regard for, and faith in, our civilisational ethos and the timeless need for ethical functioning. Over the years, I have been highly disappointed by the culture of nepotism and favouritism, large-scale scams, and wastage or leakage of public funds through acts of commission or omission. Therefore, the attempted changeover to a corruption-free, integrated and rule-based India is a very welcome endeavour. The New Bharat is expecting this — and much more! The feeling is so all — pervasive that we have taken all progress for granted, and the appetite for more has grown tremendously!

We are on the way — and must prevail against all odds. It will take time and effort to attain that state. We have to have faith in our own energy, capability and intelligence, and must remain wary of the naysayers. As Adlai E Stevenson II had said, ‘True patriotism is not manifested in short, frenzied bursts of emotion; it is in the tranquil, steady dedication of a lifetime!’ Happy Republic Day! Jai Hind!! Jai Bharat!!!

The writer is a Major General and has been decorated with Sena Medal; views are personal