Odisha Govt to Restore Original Odia Names of Places, Seeks Fresh Reports from Collectors

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has initiated steps to restore the original Odia names of various places across the state, correcting distorted English spellings that have remained in official use for decades.

Additional Chief Secretary of the Revenue and Disaster Management Department, Arabinda Padhee, has written to all District Collectors directing them to propose changes in the English names of districts, sub-divisions, blocks and tehsils wherever the spellings do not reflect authentic Odia pronunciation.

The move aims to align official English names with their original Odia forms and preserve the state’s linguistic, cultural and historical identity. According to the letter, several place names currently used in English are distorted versions that misrepresent Odia heritage.

Citing an example, Padhee noted that ‘Aali’ tehsil is presently spelled as ‘AUL’ in English — a legacy of British-era pronunciation errors — and requires correction to reflect its proper Odia form.

“In this context, a detailed report was sought from all District Collectors vide this department letter No. 43822/R&DM, dated 20.11.2025. However, so far, information has been received from only 13 districts,” the letter stated.

The reports received have already been shared with MLAs, MPs and members of the public, inviting their suggestions. Following this consultation, additional proposals have been submitted.

Collectors have now been asked to re-examine their earlier submissions and send updated reports, incorporating any new proposals, within seven days in both hard and soft copies. The department will prepare a consolidated report for presentation before the government for further action.

The initiative is seen as a significant step towards safeguarding Odisha’s linguistic identity by ensuring that official place names accurately reflect their original Odia pronunciation.