CM Yogi Restores Bhadohi, Kannauj College Names
Synopsis
The Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh has restored the name Sant Ravidas Nagar Bhadohi to the eastern UP district and renamed the Kannauj Medical College after Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, honouring two towering figures of Dalit heritage.
Key Takeaways
Bhadohi district has been officially renamed Sant Ravidas Nagar Bhadohi , restoring a name first given in 1994 under the Mulayam Singh Yadav government.
The Kannauj Medical College has been renamed after Baba Sahab Dr.
Bhimrao Ambedkar , the chief architect of the Indian Constitution.
The announcement was made by the Chief Minister's Office of Uttar Pradesh on 26 October 2026 , attributed to CM Yogi Adityanath .
Sant Ravidas was a 15th–16th century Bhakti saint from the Dalit community, venerated across north India for his teachings on equality.
The decisions continue UP's long tradition of renaming public institutions after Dalit and OBC icons, carrying both administrative and electoral significance.
Formal government notifications formalising the name changes are expected to be published subsequently.
Two names, two histories, one sweeping act of restoration — the Chief Minister's Office of Uttar Pradesh announced on Monday, 26 October 2026 that the Yogi Adityanath government has reinstated the name Sant Ravidas Nagar Bhadohi for the eastern UP district, while renaming the Kannauj Medical College after Baba Sahab Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar.
The official post from the Chief Minister's Office read: 'Sadguru Ravidas ke prati samman ka bhav vyakt karte hue Bhadohi ka naam phir se Sant Ravidas Nagar Bhadohi kar diya gaya hai. Saath hi Kannauj ke Medical College ka naam bhi punah Baba Sahab Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar ke naam par rakha gaya hai.' In English: 'Expressing reverence for Sadguru Ravidas, the name of Bhadohi has once again been changed to Sant Ravidas Nagar Bhadohi. The Medical College in Kannauj has also been renamed in honour of Baba Sahab Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar.'
Sant Ravidas Nagar: A Name Restored, A Legacy Reaffirmed
Sant Ravidas was a 15th–16th century Bhakti poet and saint from the Dalit community whose verses on social equality and devotion remain deeply embedded in north Indian spiritual life. The district bearing his name was originally carved out in 1994 under then Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav, but subsequent administrative and political changes saw the name oscillate in official usage. Monday's announcement formally restores that nomenclature, anchoring the district's identity once again to the saint it was created to honour.
For the Dalit communities and residents of the region, the move carries more than bureaucratic weight — it is a public assertion that the region's spiritual heritage, long rooted in the Ravidas tradition, deserves permanent recognition in the state's official geography.
Ambedkar's Name Returns to Kannauj's Medical College
Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar, the chief architect of the Indian Constitution and the foremost symbol of the anti-caste movement, has seen his name attached to institutions across UP by successive administrations. The renaming of the Kannauj Medical College in his honour extends that tradition to a key piece of public health infrastructure in western UP, signalling the Yogi government's intent to embed Ambedkar's legacy in institutions that serve everyday citizens — not merely in commemorative statues or annual observances.
CM Yogi Adityanath, who has governed UP since 2017, has used symbolic and administrative decisions like these as part of a broader pattern of honouring Dalit and OBC icons, a constituency whose political weight in UP's electoral arithmetic is impossible to overstate.
Renaming as Governance: UP's Long Tradition
Uttar Pradesh has one of the longest traditions of renaming districts, roads, and institutions after saints and social reformers — decisions that are simultaneously administrative and deeply political. Each renaming either restores a name chosen by an earlier government or replaces one, making nomenclature a living record of shifting political priorities. The formal government notifications formalising these changes are expected to follow, and any local or political reactions will clarify whether the moves land as consensus or contestation.
Two names. Two icons of Dalit dignity. One signal from Lucknow that the Yogi government intends to write this chapter of UP's identity in ink that is hard to erase.
Point of View
Reclaiming Dalit and Bhakti iconography for the ruling dispensation's narrative. By restoring Sant Ravidas Nagar Bhadohi and attaching Ambedkar's name to a medical college, the Yogi government reinforces its outreach to Dalit voters at a time when such constituencies are fiercely contested across the Hindi heartland. The moves also underscore a broader BJP strategy of institutionalising Ambedkar's legacy as a counter to opposition parties that have long claimed custodianship of his legacy. Whether these symbolic acts translate into concrete policy gains for Dalit communities remains the real question the ground will answer.
NationPress
26 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was Bhadohi renamed Sant Ravidas Nagar Bhadohi?
The Yogi Adityanath government restored the name Sant Ravidas Nagar Bhadohi to honour the 15th–16th century Bhakti saint and Dalit icon Sant Ravidas, whose name was originally given to the district when it was created in 1994.
Which medical college in Kannauj was renamed after Ambedkar?
The government medical college in Kannauj district, Uttar Pradesh, has been renamed after Baba Sahab Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar, the chief architect of the Indian Constitution.
When did the Yogi government announce the Bhadohi and Kannauj renaming?
The announcement was made on Monday, 26 October 2026, through the official Chief Minister's Office of Uttar Pradesh account on X.
Who is Sant Ravidas and why is he important to Dalit communities?
Sant Ravidas was a 15th–16th century Bhakti poet and saint from the Dalit community whose verses on social equality and devotion remain central to Dalit spiritual and cultural identity in north India.
Has Bhadohi's name been changed before?
Yes. The district has seen its name alternate between Bhadohi and Sant Ravidas Nagar in official records since it was first created as Sant Ravidas Nagar in 1994, with Monday's announcement restoring the longer name once again.
