After Lansdowne, proposal sent to rename Clement Town as Shaurya Nagar

Dehradun: A proposal to rename Clement Town cantonment, one of Dehradun’s old settlements, as ‘Shaurya Nagar’ has been sent to Union defence ministry after clearance by the cantonment’s board, officials said Wednesday.The board is a non-elected body headed by a serving brigadier, with the chief executive officer and a nominated member as part of the panel.“The proposal has been sent to Central Command headquarters in Lucknow,” an official said, adding a final decision will be taken by the defence ministry.The move is part of a broader trend of renaming cantonment areas to reflect military heritage and national pride, and it comes close on the heels of a similar proposal to rename the hill cantonment of Lansdowne as “Jaswant Garh”, which has sparked political and public debate in Uttarakhand over issues of identity, legacy and economic impact.Clement Town, established during the British era as a military settlement, continues to be governed under the Cantonments Act, 2006, and houses a large number of defence establishments, training centres and retired personnel. Over the years, it has evolved into a key residential and commercial hub in Dehradun, with a sizeable population of ex-servicemen.The plan drew mixed reactions from residents. Clement Town resident welfare society patron, Mahesh Pandey, supported the proposal, saying that the new name reflects the area’s demographic character. “Shaurya Nagar resonates with the identity of the locality, where over 60% of residents are ex-servicemen,” he said, adding that the change would honour the contribution of armed forces personnel to the country.Many, however, questioned the need for renaming. Trader Prakash Singh Bisht said civic issues should take precedence over symbolic changes.