Odisha Proposes Major Spelling Changes for 64 Historic Locations

An expert committee formed by the Government of Odisha has formally recommended changing the English spellings of 64 prominent places across 26 districts in the state. Headed by the eminent Odia litterateur Pratibha Ray, the high-level panel submitted its detailed report indicating that the current English spellings are distorted colonial-era leftovers that fail to capture the true phonetic pronunciation of original Odia names. The proposed structural changes aim to reflect localized heritage and deep cultural roots, similar to the historical transformation of Orissa to Odisha. Once approved by the state cabinet and finalized by the Ministry of Home Affairs, the revised spellings will become standard across all official administrative, academic, and geographical records.