Passport offices overflowing with Gujaratis attempting to fix traditional 'suffixes' in their names

economictimes.indiatimes.com:

ben' suffix in her name. Seeking to travel abroad, Deepaben realized that the suffix in her name, inherited from her mother, could cause complications. To rectify the issue, she made an application to the Regional Passport Office (RPO) for a name change and approached local newspapers to publicize her decision.

Deepaben's situation is not an isolated incident. Many individuals of Gujarati origin encounter similar challenges when it comes to their names. Adding 'ben' to women's names and 'bhai' to men's names is a cultural norm in Gujarat, symbolizing respect.

Renowned figures like Dhirubhai Ambani, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, and former Chief Minister Anandiben Patel exemplify the prevalence of suffixes in names. Officials at the RPO acknowledged that this linguistic practice stems from the region's speech patterns. However, it becomes problematic when the suffixes vary across the documents required for passports and visas.Wren Mishra, from RPO Gujarat, disclosed that they receive approximately 4,000 daily applications, of which around 1,000 pertain to name changes, alterations in birthplace, or adjustments in birth dates.

Of these, approximately 800 requests involve the addition or removal of suffixes like 'ben,' 'bhai,' and 'Kumar.' Due to the high volume of such applications, the passport seva kendras (PSKs) in Ahmedabad, Vadodara, and Rajkot are now authorized to make necessary changes if the supporting documents are in order. This responsibility was previously managed by the RPO. Officials highlighted that the practice is more prevalent in semi-urban and rural areas compared to urban centers.