In a nod to India’s evolving linguistic landscape, Google Maps has quietly made a significant change, embracing the term ‘Bharat’ as a representation of the country alongside its English counterpart, ‘India.’ This shift is not confined to Google Maps but spans various Google products, reflecting the cultural and linguistic diversity of the nation.
When you enter ‘Bharat’ in the search bar of Google Maps, it now proudly displays “Country in South Asia” along with the digital rendering of the Indian flag. This holds whether you use Google Maps in Hindi or English, as ‘Bharat’ and ‘India’ are now both acknowledged as “Countries in South Asia,” and users can use either term to explore the official map of India.
In the Hindi version of Google Maps, the result showcases ‘Bharat’ while the English version naturally returns results for ‘India.’ Interestingly, the textual descriptions remain consistent in both Hindi and English. This adaptation comes at a time when the Indian central government is gradually steering towards the usage of ‘Bharat’ in official communications, a shift that Google appears to have taken note of.
However, this transformation isn’t limited to just Google Maps. Across a spectrum of Google services, including Search, Translator, News, and more, users are now presented with the choice of using ‘Bharat’ or ‘India’ to access similar results. While Google has not made an official announcement about this change, a simple search is all that is needed to reveal the subtle adjustments made in the background.
Notably, this shift isn’t confined to the digital realm. In a groundbreaking move, a proposal from the railway ministry to the Union Cabinet has reportedly replaced “India” with “Bharat” throughout its content, signifying a broader linguistic transition.
This linguistic adaptation by Google signifies not just a change in language but a deeper recognition of India’s diverse linguistic heritage, where ‘Bharat’ and ‘India’ coexist as proud expressions of a rich and multifaceted nation.
