Will move proposal to rename Talkatora Stadium: BJP MLA Parvesh Sahib Singh

New Delhi: Talkatora Stadium, one of Delhi’s oldest indoor venues, is likely to undergo a name change soon. Parvesh Sahib Singh Verma, a Cabinet minister, announced that he would propose renaming the stadium in the upcoming New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) meeting. Verma, who recently took an oath as a member of the NDMC, chaired his first council meeting on Tuesday and confirmed his intention to bring up the matter in the next session.

This isn’t the first time Verma has discussed renaming Talkatora Stadium. During the Delhi Assembly elections, while contesting against AAP’s Arvind Kejriwal in New Delhi, Verma pledged that the stadium would be renamed if the BJP won. He stated that since the stadium hosts many significant events attended by people from all over the world, its name should reflect the legacy of the Valmiki community.

“I believe the stadium should be renamed to Bhagwan Maharishi Valmiki Stadium, as many people from the Valmiki community have proposed this change,” Verma said during his election campaign. He reiterated this stance after the elections, confirming that the proposal would be brought forward in the first NDMC meeting following February 8.

NDMC Vice-Chairperson Kuljeet Chahal noted that before any final decision is made, the renaming proposal would first be sent to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). “We will work together as a team to decide. The proposal will be submitted to the MHA for review before it reaches a conclusion,” Chahal said. According to NDMC guidelines, any proposal to change a name must first go through the General Administration Department. Once it is approved by the 13-member NDMC Council, it will be forwarded to the Delhi government’s Urban Development Department for final approval.