Maharashtra: Ahmednagar to be renamed Ahilyanagar after queen
In August, the Maharashtra Assembly had passed resolutions to rename Aurangabad as Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar and Osmanabad as Dharashiv.

AFTER renaming of Aurangabad and Osmanabad districts, the Shinde-Fadnavis government has now decided to rename Ahmednagar district after Ahilyadevi Holkar, the Queen of Malwa Kingdom. Chief Minister Eknath Shinde made the announcement on Wednesday.
Addressing a gathering in Choundi village — the birthplace of Ahilyadevi — in Ahmednagar district on the 298 birth anniversary of Ahilyadevi, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis first raised the issue. “We have created Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar by renaming Aurangabad district and Dharashiv by renaming Osmanabad district. Now, under your leadership, Ahmednagar should be renamed as Ahilyanagar. The chief minister is the ‘mawla’ (soldier) of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. I am confident he will rename Ahmednagar district as Ahilyanagar.”
In his address, Shinde wasted no time to state that Ahmednagar will be renamed. “Our government is working for the welfare of common citizens and for the development of the state by following the principles of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Punyashalok Ahilyadevi Holkar. Therefore, keeping the people’s sentiments in mind, Ahmednagar district will renamed as Ahilyadevi Holkar Nagar,” he said.
“Ahilyadevi’s maternal surname is Shinde and I am also Shinde…Today, our leader Gopichand Padalkar and Rambhau Shinde demanded that Ahmednagar should be renamed. To honour everyone’s sentiments, the state government has decided to rename Ahmednagar as Ahilyadevi Holkar Nagar,” he said.
“Today is a historic day. Both the deputy chief minister and I are present here. Ahilyadevi’s contribution is as big as the Himalayas and therefore Ahmednagar will be named after her. I feel fortunate that this decision is being taken during our tenure,” he added.