How To Legally Change Your Name In 3 Easy Steps?

So..."What's in a name?" proclaimed Shakespeare. He was a bloody idiot! If he had indeed believed in the same, all his works would be anonymous texts. Plain and simple!

Now coming to the most important matter at hand...there's much that your name says about you. Imagine being stuck with a name like 'Chiraunjilal' or 'Kalumal' or 'Hawas' [Note: The last one is real. A brother advocate was seriously contemplating naming his daughter 'Hawas'. Though, thankfully...we were all able to talk him out of it]. Can you imagine?!?

Thankfully, law once again come to your rescue and save you from a life full of taunts and jeering. Just legally change your name in 3 easy steps:--

Step 1 - Affidavit

Just walk in to any court premises and you'll find lots of typists typing away at great-neck speed. Just ask one to draft you an affidavit and get it sworn in/notarised. [P.S. - If you know any advocates, ask them to share a sample with you and you can draft it on your own computer too.]  

Step 2 - Advertisement

Now that you have changed your name, you need to let the world know what you'll be called from now on. Thus, you need to place an advertisement in a national-level English/Hindi newspaper and be done with it.

Don't forget to keep a copy of the newspaper advertisement (laminate it, if you can) in case you need it in the future for employment purposes, etc.

Step 3 - Gazette Notification

Finally, a gazette notification to seal the deal. Just approach the government press of your state (that publishes the gazette) and fill up a simple form and pay the prescribed fees. Your name change notification will appear as gazette notification and you will be sent copies to your address specified in the form. Don't forget to keep these safe as well...for official record purposes. And just in case, you need it in the future.

Or as a keepsake of how you were once named 'Hawas'!  

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