Odisha Revises English Spellings of Districts and Administrative Units to Reflect Odia Pronunciation

Bhubaneswar: In an effort to strengthen Odisha’s linguistic heritage and ensure greater consistency in official records, the State Government has introduced a new standardised system for the English spellings of districts, subdivisions, tehsils, blocks and urban local bodies.

The Revenue and Disaster Management Department issued a gazette notification on June 22, 2026, announcing the revised spellings. According to the notification, the changes have been made to align English names more closely with their original Odia pronunciation and phonetic structure.

Officials clarified that the exercise is limited to the English rendering of place names and does not alter the names of the administrative units themselves. The revised spellings will be used in all official communications and records from the date of notification.

Several prominent locations across the state have undergone notable changes. Among the most significant revisions, Cuttack will now be officially written as Kataka, Balasore as Baleshwar, Bolangir as Balangir, Bargarh as Baragada and Sundargarh as Sundaragada.

The notification also introduces changes to several major towns and subdivisions. Berhampur has been renamed Brahmapur in English records, Jeypore will now be written as Jayapur, Keonjhar as Kendujhar and Rourkela as Raurkela.

Other revised spellings include Anugola for Angul, Debagada for Deogarh, Kendrapada for Kendrapara, Nayagada for Nayagarh and Kandhamala for Kandhamal. In western Odisha, Junagarh has been changed to Junagada, Dharamgarh to Dharmagada and Lanjigarh to Lanjigada.

The move is being seen as part of a broader initiative to preserve Odisha’s cultural identity by ensuring that place names in English remain faithful to their Odia roots. The government believes the standardisation will help maintain linguistic authenticity while reducing inconsistencies in official documents, maps and administrative records.

With the notification now in force, government departments, local bodies and public institutions are expected to gradually adopt the revised spellings in their official correspondence and documentation.