Pune International Airport To Be Named Jagadguru Sant Tukaram Maharaj Airport, Maha Govt Approves Proposal

The Maharashtra government has approved renaming Pune airport as 'Jagadguru Sant Tukaram Maharaj Pune International Airport' in honor of the revered saint.

File Photo of Pune International Airport

Source : PTI

 The Maharashtra government on Monday approved a proposal to rename Pune airport as 'Jagadguru Sant Tukaram Maharaj Pune International Airport'. The decision was taken during a state cabinet meeting and will now be forwarded to the Centre for further approval.

The renaming proposal, spearheaded by Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation, Murlidhar Mohol, a native of Pune, received the state cabinet’s nod. Mohol took to X (formerly Twitter) to express his gratitude to the ruling Mahayuti alliance government, comprising the BJP, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena, and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party.

In his X post, written in Marathi, Mohol said, “Thank you, Mahayuti government! Thank you, Hon. Devendraji! The first step towards renaming Pune's international airport as 'Jagadguru Sant Tukaram Maharaj Pune International Airport' has been taken today. The state government has approved the proposal I submitted. This decision will now be sent to the Centre for further process. Just two days ago, Deputy Chief Minister Hon. Shri Devendraji Fadnavis had announced that this proposal would be approved in the next cabinet meeting, and he has kept his word.”

धन्यवाद, महायुती सरकार !
धन्यवाद, मा. देवेंद्रजी !

पुण्यातील आंतरराष्ट्रीय विमानतळाचे नामकरण ‘जगद़्गुरु संतश्रेष्ठ तुकाराम महाराज पुणे आंतरराष्ट्रीय विमानतळ’ असे करण्याच्या दृष्टीने पहिले पाऊल आज पडले असून आपण दिलेल्या प्रस्तावाला राज्य सरकारने मंजुरी दिली आहे. सदर प्रस्ताव हा… pic.twitter.com/vbtenDNYiD

— Murlidhar Mohol (@mohol_murlidhar) September 23, 2024

Sant Tukaram, a revered saint and spiritual poet of the Bhakti movement, hailed from the Pune district, making the renaming a tribute to his legacy.

Union MoS On Significance Of Pune Airport Renaming As Union Govt's Nod Awaited

Mohol highlighted the significance of Lohgaon, the site of the Pune airport, being closely associated with Sant Tukaram. “Lohgaon, where the airport is located, is where Sant Tukaram spent his childhood. His maternal home is here, which makes it deeply connected to his legacy. Given his immense contribution to spreading the principles of the Bhakti movement and promoting new social thought, it is only fitting that Pune's international airport bears his name,” he added.

The proposal will now be submitted to the Union government, where the Union cabinet is expected to take a final decision soon. Mohol expressed confidence that the process would be completed swiftly.