Rajamahendravaram gets its name back

Rajahmundry retains its old name and glory of Rajamahendravaram from New Year's Day. The AP government, which wanted the commercial city to regain its glory, has directed all government departments to follow the renaming of Rajamahendravaram. All official records should bear the new name. State Road Transport buses should carry the new name. Private agencies have also been directed to follow the rule. Rajamahendravaram is named after Rajaraja Narendra. Rajaraja Narendra was the Eastern Chalukya king of the Vengi kingdom in South India. Rajaraja was related to the Cholas of Tanjavur by marital and political links. Rajaraja Narendra established the city of Rajahmahendravaram. The city gets its name back. The AP government's choice of Amaravati as new State capital and retaining historic name for Rajahmundry shows its resolve to give a new identity to the State that had last its moorings first in the Madras Province under the British and even after the formation of combined Andhra Pradesh with historic Hyderabad being made the State capital. The old glory of the Andhra country that fed India virtually with its agricultural wealth, prior and during PL 480 imports and before the Green Revolution, deserves to retain its name and resolve. "Nellore rice" was in big demand all over the South.