THE Governor of Maharashtra, K. Sankaranarayanan, is following closely in the footsteps of President Pranab Mukherjee. After the President abolished colonial honorifics, the Maharashtra Governor followed suit. A communique from Raj Bhavan said, “The decision has been taken in conformity with the decision taken by the President of India approving new protocol practices in October 2012.”
The changes in protocol swept away more than a century of tradition. Gone are the days of saying “Your Excellency” or its Marathi equivalent Mahamahim. Instead, the Governor will be addressed by his name preceded by a Shri (or Shrimati/Kumari, as the case may be), while his official form of address will be Honourable Governor or Rajyapal Mahoday or Mananiya Rajyapal.
The honorific “Excellency” will be used only for interaction with foreign dignitaries in keeping with customary international practices.
Lyla Bavadam
