Odisha Cabinet Clears Proposal to Restore Original English Spellings of 64 Places

Bhubaneswar: Seeking to align official place names with Odisha’s linguistic traditions and historical identity, the state Cabinet on Friday approved the correction of English spellings of 64 locations across 26 districts that were altered or anglicised during the colonial period.

The decision is aimed at bringing official records closer to original Odia pronunciation and etymology while reinforcing efforts to preserve the state’s cultural and linguistic heritage.

According to the government, several locations continue to carry English spellings that evolved during British administration and no longer reflect their authentic Odia names. Among the examples cited are “Aul”, which corresponds to “Aali”, and “Balasore”, derived from “Baleshwar”.

Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has repeatedly stressed that retaining distorted spellings weakens Odia Asmita and overlooks the phonetic and cultural character of the language.

As part of the process, the state government directed District Collectors to identify locations with historically altered spellings and submit recommendations for review. Suggestions were also invited from elected representatives and members of the public.

To evaluate the proposals, a high-level committee headed by noted Odia writer Dr. Pratibha Ray was constituted. The committee examined the recommendations and later placed them in the public domain for a month to collect feedback before preparing the final list.

Following Cabinet approval, the state government will issue an official Gazette Notification and approach the Union Ministry of Home Affairs for incorporation of the revised spellings in national records.

Central agencies including the Survey of India, Indian Railways, Department of Posts, Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India, along with other departments, will be requested to update their official documents and databases accordingly.

Officials said the initiative is intended to restore historical continuity and ensure that official place names reflect Odisha’s linguistic identity more accurately while preserving the cultural legacy associated with them.