Guv CV Ananda Bose renames Raj Bhavan as Lok Bhavan
The Statesman | 1 December 2025
Governor CV Ananda Bose on Saturday renamed his official residence-cum-office in the heart of the city as the Lok Bhavan.
Built in 1803, it was known as Government House during the Company rule in India and subsequently the British Raj. After the transfer of power from the East India Company to the British Crown in 1858, it became the official residence of the Viceroy of India, moving here from the Belvedere Estate.
With the shifting of the Indian capital from then-Calcutta to New Delhi in 1911, it became the official residence of the Governor of Bengal, and since Independence in August 1947, it has served as the official residence of the Governor of West Bengal and is known as the Raj Bhavan.
A heritage site that has been impeccably maintained, it is now being renamed following a national directive from the ministry of home affairs to rename all ‘Raj Bhavans’ and ‘Raj Niwas’ across the country as ‘Lok Bhavan’ and ‘Lok Niwas’ respectively.
The change is intended to align with the central government’s vision of public participation in democratic institutions and shed the building’s colonial-era aura of exclusivity, making it more accessible to citizens.
The Governor’s official X handle has already been updated to reflect the new name, Lok Bhavan, Kolkata. This move expands on the “Jana Raj Bhavan” (People’s Raj Bhavan) initiative launched by Governor Bose in March 2023, which allowed public access to the historic building.
Bose told reporters that this historical site has now become a place for the common people, and anyone who likes to come is always welcome.
Bose, after renaming, visited some places in the city, including Victoria Memorial, and interacted with the common people.