Maharashtra Govt. Renames Pune Airport

The Maharashtra government, led by Eknath Shinde, has approved the renaming of Pune’s Lohegaon International Airport to “Jagadguru Sant Tukaram Maharaj Pune International Airport“.

The decision was made at a state cabinet meeting, and the proposal will be forwarded to the Centre. Murlidhar Mohol, a Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation from Pune, proposed the designation.

Mohol expressed gratitude on X (formerly Twitter) to the ruling Mahayuti alliance, which includes the BJP, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena, and the Nationalist Congress Party led by Deputy CM Ajit Pawar.

“Thank you, Mahayuti government! Thank you, Devendraji! The first step towards naming of the international airport in Pune as ‘Jagadguru Sant Tukaram Maharaj Airport’ has been taken today and the proposal given by me has been approved at a cabinet meeting. It will now be sent to the central government for further processing,” Mohol posted on X.

Airport Renaming Proposal Put Forward Last Month

Last month, Murlidhar Mohol proposed naming the airport after the 17th-century saint, citing the fact that Lohegaon, where the airport is located, was the mother village of Sant Tukaram Maharaj. According to the procedure, the state government presents the recommendation to the central government, which takes the final decision.

Earlier on Saturday, during a foundation stone-laying ceremony for various programs, deputy chief minister and BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis said,

“I want to thank Pune MP Murlidhar Mohol for his suggestion to name the new airport in Pune district after Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj and rename the existing airport after Sant Tukaram Maharaj. This idea will be presented at the next cabinet meeting and submitted to the central government for approval.”

At the same event, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari stated that he would seek Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s assent to rename Pune International Airport.

Who was Sant Tukaram Maharaj?

Sant Tukaram Maharaj, popularly known as Tukaram, was a renowned 17th-century Hindu saint and poet from Maharashtra. He was a significant figure in the Bhakti movement, particularly through his devotional poetry, known as Abhanga, which revolved around devotion to Vithoba, a form of Lord Krishna worshipped in Pandharpur.

Tukaram, born in 1608 in Dehu, a village near Pune, spent much of his life practicing spirituality, organizing communal gatherings (kirtans), and producing poetry. His work frequently tackled socioeconomic injustices and emphasized spiritual equality, regardless of caste. Despite initial criticism from society figures, Tukaram finally garnered universal recognition, even convincing some of his detractors.

Tukaram’s Abhanga poetry is renowned for its simplicity and profundity, focusing on themes of devotion, divine love, and the human predicament. His collection of over 4,500 poems, known as the Tukaram Gatha or Abhanga Gatha, reflects a wide range of emotions and spiritual ideas. His compositions frequently show a pantheistic belief in the existence of God across the universe.