In a decisive move to safeguard Odisha’s linguistic and cultural identity, the Revenue and Disaster Management Department has issued fresh instructions to all District Collectors for the immediate and mandatory implementation of corrected English spellings of districts, sub-divisions, tahasils, blocks and urban local bodies across the state.
The directive, issued by Additional Chief Secretary Dr Arabinda Kumar Padhee, comes barely a month after the historic notification published in the Odisha Gazette on June 22, 2026.
The government has now made it clear: the new spellings must be used without delay in every sphere of official functioning.
What the Directive Says
All government offices, district administrations, local bodies and related institutions have been asked to switch to the corrected spellings immediately in:
- Official documents and correspondence
- Websites, portals and digital platforms
- Advertisements, notifications and signboards
- Records and archives
District Collectors must submit a detailed action-taken report within 15 days. At the same time, commercial establishments, private organisations and non-government entities have been given a generous six-month window to update their name boards and signage in line with the new spellings.
Dr. Padhee emphasised that these corrections are aimed solely at restoring phonetic accuracy and do not change the actual names of any administrative unit. “This will ensure uniformity, accuracy and greater respect for our linguistic heritage in all official communications,” he stated.
Prominent Corrections Now in Force
The comprehensive schedule covers 64 administrative units across 26 districts. Some of the most notable changes include:
- Angul → ANUGOLA
- Cuttack → KATAKA
- Khurda → KHORDHA
- Balasore → BALESHWAR
- Bargarh → BARAGADA
- Rourkela → RAURKELA
- Berhampur → BRAHMAPUR
- Keonjhar → KENDUJHAR
- Sundargarh → SUNDARAGADA
Other significant updates include Pallahara to PALALAHADA, Talcher to TALACHER, and many more tahasils and blocks whose spellings have now been aligned with authentic Odia pronunciation.
Why This Matters
For decades, many English spellings of Odisha’s places carried colonial-era distortions that did not reflect the true Odia sound and etymology. The June 22 notification and today’s implementation order together mark a significant step in the state’s ongoing efforts to correct these historical inaccuracies and celebrate Odia linguistic pride.
Officials believe the move will bring greater consistency in official records, maps, digital systems and public communication while strengthening the state’s cultural identity.
With District Collectors now under clear instructions and strict timelines in place, Odisha is set to witness a swift and systematic transition to the new spellings across government and eventually private domains.
This is not just a spelling correction — it is Odisha reclaiming the authentic voice of its places.
