Odisha Govt Proposes Revised English Spellings for 24 Place Names

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has initiated a public consultation process on a proposal to revise the English spellings of 24 place names across the State, including several districts, to better reflect their original Odia pronunciation and safeguard the State’s linguistic and cultural heritage.

In a public notice issued on February 4, the Revenue & Disaster Management Department invited objections and suggestions from stakeholders who may be affected by the proposed changes. Submissions, supported by relevant documents, must be submitted in writing within 15 days from the date of publication of the notice.

The department has made it clear that representations received after the deadline will not be considered. It further stated that in the absence of any objections within the stipulated period, the Government would presume public consent and proceed with the proposal in accordance with the law.

If implemented, the revised spellings would standardise the English representation of these place names in official records and communications. The move builds on the 2011 constitutional amendment that changed the English spellings of “Orissa” to “Odisha” and “Oriya” to “Odia”, aimed at aligning official usage with the Odia language’s phonetics.

One of the key proposed changes involves Khurda district, which would be renamed Khoradha. Other proposed revisions include Balasore to Baleshwar, Keonjhar to Kendujhar, Khondmal to Kandhamal, Deogarh to Debagarh, Angul to Anugol, and Nayagarh to Nayagada.

Additional changes cover Kendrapara to Kendrapada, Rairakhol to Redhakhol, Athagarh to Athagad, Salipur to Salepur, Baramba to Badamba, Nilgiri to Nilagiri, Barbil to Badbil, Keonjhargarh to Kendujhargarh, and Daspalla to Dashapalla, among others.

Officials said the proposal is part of a broader effort to ensure consistency in place names while honouring Odisha’s linguistic identity. The final decision will be taken after examining the feedback received from the public.