Raj Bhavans, the residences of Governors renamed as ‘Lok Bhavans’

New Delhi: The new complex housing the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) will be called Seva Teerth, officials announced yesterday.

Previously known as the Executive Enclave, the complex is now in its final stages of completion, marking a significant milestone in the Central Vista redevelopment project.

Officials described Seva Teerth as a workplace designed to embody the spirit of service — a space “where national priorities take shape.” They emphasised that India’s public institutions are undergoing a “quiet but profound shift,” with governance moving from satta (power) to seva (service), and from authority to responsibility. “The change is not just administrative, but cultural and moral,” they added.

The enclave will accommodate the PMO along with the offices of the Cabinet Secretariat, the National Security Council Secretariat and India House, which will serve as a venue for high-level talks with visiting dignitaries.

As part of this broader shift in governance philosophy, Raj Bhavans — the official residences of State Governors — are being renamed Lok Bhavans. The Central Secretariat has also been rechristened Kartavya Bhavan.

Officials noted that under PM Modi, spaces of governance have been reshaped to reflect principles of kartavya (duty) and transparency. “Every name, every building and every symbol now points to a simple idea: Government exists to serve,” they said.

Several landmarks have already been renamed in recent years. Rajpath became Kartavya Path, while the Prime Minister’s official residence was renamed Lok Kalyan Marg in 2016, a name intended to convey welfare rather than exclusivity.

“These changes mark a deeper ideological transition. Indian democracy is choosing responsibility over power and service over status,” officials said. “A shift in names is also a shift in mindset. Today, they speak the language of seva, kartavya and citizen-first governance,” they added.