Odisha Government Launches Initiative to Correct English Spellings of 24 Places
In a significant move to preserve linguistic authenticity, the Odisha government has formally initiated a process to change the English spellings of 24 places across the state. This initiative, announced on Thursday, aims to align these names with their original Odia pronunciations, marking a continuation of the state's efforts to honor its cultural heritage.
Public Consultation Period Announced
The Revenue and Disaster Management Department has issued a public notice detailing the proposed changes and inviting objections or suggestions from citizens within a 15-day window. This democratic approach ensures that the process incorporates public feedback before final implementation.
Revenue Minister Suresh Pujari, who spearheaded this exercise, emphasized that the correction of misspelled place names is long overdue. "This step is aimed at strengthening Odia Asmita, language and literature at the global level. We found that several place names are wrongly pronounced due to incorrect English spellings," Pujari stated. He clarified that the notice is part of a consultative process, reflecting the government's commitment to transparency.
Proposed Changes and Notable Exclusions
Among the district headquarters included in the proposal are Deogarh to Debagarh, Nayagarh to Nayagada, Khurda to Khoradha, and Balasore to Baleshwar. However, Cuttack—whose closest Odia transliteration would be Katak—is not on the current list. Minister Pujari explained that this list is not exhaustive and that additional locations may be considered based on public input.
"Whether it is Cuttack or any other place not mentioned, people can share their opinions. This cannot be done overnight. The corrections will be made in phases," Pujari added. He also announced the establishment of a dedicated cell to systematically address inaccuracies in revenue records, with the ultimate goal of creating error-free official documentation.
Historical Context and Inconsistencies
This initiative follows the official renaming of Orissa to Odisha on November 1, 2011, after parliamentary approval of the Orissa (Alteration of Name) Act, 2010, and the Constitution (113th Amendment) Act, 2010, which also changed the language name from Oriya to Odia. The current move seeks to further rectify historical misspellings that have persisted in English records.
The public notice highlights that the proposed changes are intended to restore original Odia names and ensure accurate representation of the state's linguistic, historical, and cultural heritage. It cites existing inconsistencies, such as different spellings used by various authorities—for example, the district administration uses 'Khordha' while railways use 'Khurda' for the same city, and Kendujhar versus Keonjhar in municipal records.
Political Reactions and Criticism
The initiative has sparked criticism from the opposition Biju Janata Dal (BJD). BJD spokesperson Lenin Mohanty accused the government of using "cosmetic issues" as a diversionary tactic to shift focus from governance failures. "Changing names is fine, but symbolism cannot substitute governance. What Odisha needs is a clear vision to tackle pressing challenges, which the government failed to demonstrate," Mohanty argued, pointing to unresolved issues like farm distress, unemployment, women's safety, and law and order concerns.
Despite the political backlash, the government maintains that this effort is crucial for preserving Odisha's identity and ensuring that its linguistic heritage is correctly reflected in official records at both national and global levels.
