Bhubaneswar, Feb 28: In an effort to preserve Odisha’s linguistic and cultural heritage, which has long been overshadowed by misinterpreted colonial nomenclature, Dr. Arabinda Padhi, Additional Chief Secretary of the Revenue and Disaster Management Department instructed all district collectors to correct the distorted English names of various places in the state, which have been in use since British rule.

These names, which have become common due to errors in pronunciation, will be replaced with their original Odia counterparts. The decision aims to restore the true cultural and linguistic identity of the state.

According to a letter from Dr. Arabinda Padhi, Additional Chief Secretary of the Revenue and Disaster Management Department, the government has instructed district collectors to propose changes for the official records of various locations, including districts, sub-divisions, blocks, and tehsils. The letter emphasized that many of the current English names are distorted versions of their authentic Odia names, which were misrepresented during the colonial era.

For instance, the government intends to rectify the English name "AUL" for the Tehsil, which is a mispronunciation of the original Odia name “Aali.” This name, adopted during British rule, has led to confusion due to its incorrect pronunciation, and the government has emphasized the need for correction.

Earlier, detailed reports were requested from all district collectors regarding such place names. So far, information has been received from 13 districts. The reports include the opinions of local legislators, MPs, and the general public. Based on the collected data, several new proposals for name changes have been put forward.

The government has instructed the collectors to review the previously submitted reports and submit the revised proposals within seven days. A final report will be compiled and presented to the government for approval shortly, according to Dr. Padhi.