 The university is named to honor the great Satnami Saint Guru Ghasidas (1756–1850), who championed the cause of the downtrodden and waged a relentless struggle against all forms of social evils and injustice prevailing in the society.GGU upgraded into a Central University under Central Universities Act 2009, No.25 of 2009 with the name of Guru Ghasidas Vishwavidyalaya.