text: The name India IPA: /'ɪndiə/, is derived from the Old Persian version of Sindhu, the historic local appellation for the river Indus; see Origin of India's name. The Constitution of India and general usage also recognises Bharat (Hindi: भारत IPA: /bɦaːrət̪/  listen?), which is derived from the Sanskrit name of an ancient Hindu king, whose story is to be found in the Mahabharata, as an official name of equal status. A third name, Hindustan (Hindi: हिन्दुस्तान IPA: /ɦɪn̪d̪ʊst̪aːn/)  listen?, or Land of the Hindus in Persian, has been used since the twelfth century, though its contemporary use is unevenly applied due to domestic disputes over its representiveness as a national signifier.