Odisha which is formerly known as Orissa is an Indian state which is located in the eastern part of India. It is the modern name of the ancient kingdom of Kalinga, which was invaded by the Mauryan Emperor Ashoka in 261 BCE.
The modern state of Odisha was established on April 1, 1936, as a province in British India and consisted predominantly of Odia speakers.
April 1 is therefore celebrated as Utkala Dibasa (foundation day of Odisha). Cuttack remained the capital of the state for over eight centuries until April 13, 1948, before Bhubaneswar was officially declared as the new capital of Odisha, and still is the present capital of this state.
The state Odisha lies between the latitudes 17.789N and 22.730N, and between longitudes 81.37E and 87.53E. Odisha has an area of 155.707 km2 it’s like 4.87 % of the total area of India. It has a coastline of 450km.
Odisha has been divided into 30 districts. These districts are placed under three different revenue divisions. The divisions are North, South, and Central. The headquarters of these divisions are at Sambalpur, Berhampur, and Cuttack. Each division consists of ten districts. Every division has its own administrative head called a Revenue Divisional Commissioner.
Important Cities Of Odisha
- Bhubaneswar
- Puri
- Cuttack
- Sambalpur
- Berhampur
- Rourkela
- Sambalpur
- Balasore