Odisha drops colonial English spellings, restores 64 original names in 26 dists

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Cabinet chaired by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Friday night approved a proposal to correct the English spellings of 64 place names that were altered or distorted during the colonial period.

The decision was taken on the occasion of BJP government’s two year completion in office as part of its efforts to strengthen “Odia asmita” (Odia identity) and restore the historical authenticity of place names in the State. Under the proposal moved by the Revenue and Disaster Management Department, the government will restore the original Odia phonetic forms of 64 places spread across 26 districts. The changes will replace colonial-era spellings that have remained in official English records for decades despite differing substantially from the original Odia pronunciations.

Among the examples cited by the government are “Aul”, which will be corrected to “Aali”, and “Balasore”, which will be restored to “Baleshwar”, reflecting the names by which these places are traditionally known in Odia. Other places whose spellings have been restored include Anugola, Baragada, Kataka, Khordha, Debagada, Nayagada, Sonpur, Sundaragada, Brahmapur, Jayapur, Redhakhol, Asika and Sora.

Officials said many such spellings were introduced by British administrators who transliterated local names according to English phonetics, resulting in distortions that gradually became embedded in official records, maps, railway documents, postal records and government communications.

The initiative emerged following concerns raised by the Chief Minister that several place names officially used in English were inconsistent with Odia phonetics and weakened the state’s linguistic and cultural identity. He directed district administrations to identify locations where official English spellings diverged from authentic Odia names.

Subsequently, all district collectors were asked to submit detailed reports on such anomalies. The government also received suggestions from elected representatives, scholars, cultural organisations and citizens from different parts of Odisha.

To examine the proposals, the state government constituted a high-level committee headed by noted Odia litterateur Pratibha Ray. The committee undertook a detailed review of the recommendations and historical records before preparing a list of proposed changes. The committee’s recommendations were placed in the public domain for one month to solicit feedback from citizens and stakeholders. After considering the responses, the panel finalised the revised spellings and submitted its recommendations to the government.

Chief Secretary Anu Garg said the move is aimed at reinforcing Odisha’s linguistic heritage and cultural identity. “The Cabinet’s approval paves the way for formal implementation of the changes. The state government will soon issue a Gazette notification and communicate the approved revisions to the Ministry of Home Affairs, requesting central agencies such as the Survey of India, Indian Railways, Department of Posts, Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India and other relevant ministries and departments to update their official records,” she told mediapersons.

Over the past few decades, several major Indian cities and places have reverted to indigenous names, including Bombay becoming Mumbai, Calcutta becoming Kolkata, Madras becoming Chennai, Bangalore becoming Bengaluru and Orissa being officially renamed Odisha in 2011.  The change from Orissa to Odisha, approved by Parliament through the Constitution (113th Amendment) Act and the Orissa (Alteration of Name) Act, was itself driven by demands to bring the state’s English name closer to its pronunciation in Odia.

Arabinda Kumar Padhee, additional chief secretary of the Revenue and Disaster Management Department, said place names are not merely geographical markers but repositories of history, language and collective memory. “Restoring original names will help preserve Odisha’s cultural heritage while ensuring that official records reflect authentic local identities,” he said.

The decision also aligns with a series of measures undertaken by the BJP government since assuming office in June 2024 to emphasise Odia language, culture and traditions.