Odisha proposes changes to spellings of 24 places to restore Odia names

A public notice said the move would transform familiar names into versions that more accurately capture their pronunciation in Odia

Published on: Feb 5, 2026, 15:40:32 IST

By Debabrata Mohanty

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The Odisha government on Thursday proposed changes to the English spellings of 24 places across the state, saying they would restore original Odia names and reflect its linguistic and cultural heritage.

Odisha chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi. (X)

A public notice said the move would transform familiar names into versions that more accurately capture their pronunciation in Odia. Khurda, Balasore, Khondmal, and the industrial district of Angul Anugol would become Khordha, Baleshwar, Kandhamal, and Aul Ali.

Keonjhar would be known as Kendujhar. According to historical accounts, the name is derived from “Kendujhar,” meaning “new capital near a perennial spring,” built by King Jyoti Bhanja. When the feudatory state merged with Odisha in 1948, it became one of 13 districts, with its headquarters at what was then called Keonjhargarh.

Other proposed alterations include Deogarh to Debagarh, Nayagarh to Nayagada, Rairakhol to Redhakhol, and Kendrapara to Kendrapada. Officials said the changes will bring English transliteration closer to the Odia pronunciation.

The government has invited objections and suggestions to the proposed changes with supporting documents. The proposal for name changes is the latest in a series of such moves nationally. Bombay became Mumbai in 1995. Madras was renamed Chennai in 1996. Calcutta became Kolkata in 2001. In 2011, Orissa became Odisha.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Debabrata Mohanty
Debabrata Mohanty is a senior assistant editor of Hindustan Times who works as state correspondent from Odisha covering the state's politics, governance, public policy, natural disasters, environment and its society for close to three decades. With his long years of reporting from the state capital of Bhubaneswar, Mohanty has been known as one of the most experienced and credible journalists covering Odisha for the national English dailies. His reporting combines on-ground detail with deep institutional knowledge detailing the state's changing politics, governance issues, administrative reforms and the functioning of its public institutions. He has regularly reported on issues ranging from legislative developments and public policy implementation. Politics is his core areas of expertise as he closely tracks Odisha's political landscape, including the rise and transformation of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), the two principal political parties in Odisha. His long association with the state's political establishment enables him to write on contemporary developments in a larger political context. Mohanty takes a deep interest in writing human interest stories, environmental issues and documenting the impact of cyclones, floods, heatwaves, and other climate-related events in one of the most disaster-prone states. His coverage extends to public health, governance reforms and stories on accountability of government institutions. Before joining Hindustan Times, Mohanty worked with The Indian Express, Mail Today, and The Telegraph, where he covered at least six general elections and as many assembly elections. In 2007, he was selected for the prestigious Chevening Young Indian Print Journalist Programme at the University of Lincoln, United Kingdom, where he received advanced training in print journalism. In 2009 he won the Press Institute of India-International Committee of Red Cross award on conflict reporting for his on-ground reportage of 2008 Kandhamal riots.Read More

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