In a move to reclaim linguistic and cultural identity, the Odisha government has directed all District Collectors to standardize the English spellings of place names to align with their authentic Odia phonetics.
Additional Chief Secretary of the Revenue and Disaster Management Department, Dr. Arvind Padhi, stated that many current English names are "corruptions" stemming from colonial-era misspellings.
Citing the example of "Aul" tehsil, which should be spelled "Ali," the department noted that these discrepancies undermine the state’s heritage.
While the initial directive was issued on November 20, 2025, only 13 districts have submitted the required reports to date.
The government has invited feedback from MPs, MLAs, and the public regarding the proposed changes.
The Revenue Department is currently reviewing these submissions and has requested any outstanding recommendations or new proposals be finalized within seven days to ensure the state's geography accurately reflects its true linguistic roots.