Arish Mujawar, Pune
The Maharashtra government gave its approval on Monday to rename Pune’s international airport as ‘Jagadguru Sant Tukaram Maharaj Airport’. The decision was made in a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. The Center will now receive the proposal for final approval.
Chief Minister Shinde announced the decision in an X post along with details on new initiatives and advantages for the general public.
The proposal for the name change was made by Murlidhar Mohol, the Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation and a native of Pune.
On X, Mohol expressed gratitude to the ruling Mahayuti alliance, which is made up of the BJP, the Nationalist Congress Party led by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, and the Shiv Sena of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.
“Thank you, Mahayuti government! Thank you, Devendraji! The first step for renaming Pune’s international airport as ‘Jagadguru Sant Tukaram Maharaj Airport’ was made during a cabinet meeting today, and my request was approved. It will now be forwarded to the federal government for additional processing,” Mohol stated on X.
Last month, Murlidhar Mohol proposed renaming the airport after the 17th-century saint, citing its location in Lohegaon, the village where Sant Tukaram Maharaj’s mother formerly resided. As per the protocol, the central government will now receive the proposal from the state government and make the final decision.
Earlier on Saturday, BJP leader and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said, “I want to appreciate Pune MP Murlidhar Mohol for his suggestion to name the existing airport after Sant Tukaram Maharaj and to name the new airport in Pune district after Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj,” during a foundation stone-laying ceremony for various programs.
The next cabinet meeting will discuss this plan, after which it will be sent to the central government for approval.
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari promised at the same ceremony that he will ask Prime Minister Narendra Modi for permission to rename Pune International Airport.
Renaming an airport requires a state assembly resolution. It can then only be officially announced in the Indian Gazette with the approval of the Union cabinet.
Who was Sant Tukaram Maharaj?
Sant Tukaram was a well-known saint and spiritual poet in India during the Bhakti movement. Tukaram is considered one of the greatest poet-saints in India. He was also known as Bhakta Tukaram, Tukoba, Tukobaraya, and Tukaram Maharaj.