Bengal Raj Bhavan renamed Lok Bhavan following Centre’s directive

Kolkata: West Bengal governor C.V. Ananda Bose on Saturday renamed the Raj Bhavan in Kolkata as Lok Bhavan, following a directive from the Union home ministry.

“In pursuance of the communication from the ministry of Home affairs on November 25, it is hereby notified that the name of the holdings of Raj Bhavan in Kolkata, Flagstaff House and Darjeeling has hereby been modified and renamed as Lok Bhavan,” a notification issued by the governor said.

The Raj Bhavan was built in 1803 and was then known as the Government House. At least 23 governors-general and viceroys lived in this house until the capital shifted to Delhi in 1911. Later, it became the official residence of the Lieutenant Governor (LG) of Bengal. It is presently recognised as the office-cum-residence of the governor of West Bengal.

“On March 27, 2023 honourable President of India Smt. Droupadi Murmu handed over a symbolic key of the then Raj Bhavan to honourable chief minister Mamata Banerjee, on the request of honourable governor Dr. C.V. Ananda Bose, heralding a new era of people’s Raj Bhavan – the Jana Raj Bhavan,” Bose wrote on X on Saturday.

“In tune with the transformational and inspirational leadership of honourable Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi that has ensured participation of people across all segments of society in the onward spectacular march towards Viksit Bharat, Raj Bhavans and Raj Niwas across the country have been uniformly decided to be renamed as Lok Bhavan and Lok Niwas respectively, as per a notification issued by the ministry of home affairs on November 25, 2025,” he added.