Cuttack: Citing archival records preserved at the Records Department of Ravenshaw College, Cuttack Municipal Corporation Mayor Subhash Chandra Singh has urged the Odisha government to rename the city of Cuttack as ‘Katak’.

In a letter addressed to Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, Singh said the archival documents indicate that ‘Katak’ is the historic and traditional name of the city. He noted these records have also been published in leading newspapers, bringing the information to the public domain.

The Mayor requested the state government to initiate an official process to restore the city’s historic name. “Aligning official nomenclature with historically attested records will help preserve cultural heritage, strengthen local identity, and bring clarity to administrative and ceremonial references,” Singh wrote.

To strengthen his demand, Singh urged the government to review the archives of Ravenshaw College and other primary sources, and to consult local historians, cultural organisations and the community to gather evidence and perspectives.

He also requested the initiation of the necessary legislative or administrative procedures to formally recognise ‘Katak’ as the city’s name, including issuance of official notifications, gazette amendments and updates to signage, wherever applicable.

In the letter, Singh assured full cooperation and expressed readiness to provide supporting documents or facilitate public consultations.

The Mayor’s demand comes in the wake of the Odisha government’s recent decision to revise the English spelling of 24 place names across the state, including Khurda district.