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.
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.
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