Maharashtra’s Ahmednagar to be renamed as ‘Ahilya Nagar’

• The Maharashtra government, led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, has decided to rename the Ahmednagar district in the state as ‘Ahilya Nagar’.
• The decision has been taken on the occasion of the birth anniversary of Ahilya Bai Holkar, the hereditary noble queen of the Maratha Empire, in early-modern India.
• Ahilya Bai Holkar is known for building temples and ‘dharamashalas’ (public rest houses), throughout India.
• Renaming of the district will reflect the admiration and respect for Ahilyadevi Holkar’s contributions to the state.
• Earlier in February 2023, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs had approved a proposal by the Maharashtra government to rename Aurangabad as Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Osmanabad cities as Dharashiv.