Mumbai was the cities original name, until the Arabs took charge of India and decided it was upon themselves to change the name to 'Al Omanis'. Next came the Portuguese renamed it as 'Bom Bahia' and then the Britons who derived the name Bombay. After the gain of independance Bombay was renamedMumbai

devi, surrey,

I have worked in India, based in Trivandrum. The city officially reverted to its former name and all the road/airport signs say Thiruvananthapurum, but I never met any local people who referred to it as anything over than Trivandrum.

Rosemary, Goring by Sea, UK

Well, why do a large number of INDIANS in that city still call it Bombay? It was renamed by a local nationalist party. It was founded as and will always be Bombay.

Richard, London, United Kingdom

Why? English people call it Bombay, just as the French talk about 'Londres'. When are we going to stand up for ourselves.

jane, izmir, turkey

Why we say Germany and not Deutschland, Georgia (in the Caucasus) and not Sakartvelo, Finland and not Suomi, Prague and not Praha? Political correctness. The Indians or Burmese can call their cities what they wish, but we should retain in English Bombay and Rangoon.

Ivan, London, UK

Nicholas, I would suggest that the difference with those examples and Mumbai, is that Mumbai has (in many areas a predominantly) english speaking population which calls it Mumbai.

toast, Manchester, eng

What does it matter what you call the place as long as the readers know what you mean?

Michael, Buffalo, New York, United States

Whilst you are at it, why don't you start calling Cologne - Koln, Hamlin - Hameln, Padua - Padova, Venice - Venezia and so on, or could it just be some PC hypocricy?

Nicholas Moody, Northallerton, England

You should have been calling it Mumbai from the start just like everyone else. Not doing so shows you up in a bad light, you can't hide behind some excuse about catering to your readership which is an insult to them as well come to think of it, the days of empire and the colonies are over boys...

John Kench, Chelmsford, UK