Overview
- The Odisha cabinet, which approved the changes on Friday, June 12, 2026, endorsed revised English spellings for 64 places across 26 districts.
- A high-level committee led by Jnanpith awardee Dr Pratibha Ray examined district reports and published recommendations for one month of public feedback before the cabinet finalised the list.
- The state gave specific examples of corrections, including Cuttack to Kataka, Balasore to Baleshwar, Angul to Anugola, Berhampur to Brahmapur, Keonjhar to Kendujhar and Jeypore to Jayapur.
- The government said it will issue a Gazette notification to the Ministry of Home Affairs and ask the Survey of India, Indian Railways, Department of Posts and the Registrar General to update maps, rail and postal records and local signages.
- Officials said many English distortions date to British transliteration and that the change is meant to protect Odia linguistic identity, a move that could alter signage, address records and map databases once central agencies act.