Khuntia felicitated for renaming state

BHUBANESWAR: Governor MC Bhandare felicitated Rajya Sabha member Ram Chandra Khuntia on behalf of the Utkal Sahitya Kala Parishad at a function in Cuttack’s Sarala Bhavan recently.Khuntia was honoured for his contribution to the renaming of Orissa as Odisha. He was the first Parliamentarian from the State to publish an article on the topic and take up the issue in the Rajya Sabha. He was assured by Shakeel Ahmed, Union Minister of State for Home, that the matter would be taken up by the Government. Subsequently the Orissa (Alteration of Name) Bill and the Constitution (113th) Amendment Bill were passed by the Rajya Sabha and the Lok Sabha before being granted Presidential sanction.