Every Odisha government exam – OPSC Civil Services, OSSC CGL, OSSSC, ASO, Junior Assistant, Odisha Police SI and Constable – has questions on Odisha’s history, geography, economy, culture and government schemes. This page collects all our Odisha GK notes in one place, starting with the most-asked basic facts.

Odisha at a glance

Formation as a separate province	1 April 1936 – celebrated as Utkal Divas (Odisha Day)
Capital	Bhubaneswar (Cuttack was the earlier capital)
High Court	Orissa High Court, Cuttack
Number of districts	30
Official language	Odia – declared a Classical Language of India in 2014
Name change	Orissa became Odisha in 2011
Legislative Assembly seats	147
Lok Sabha / Rajya Sabha seats	21 / 10
State song	Bande Utkala Janani
State animal / bird	Sambar deer / Indian Roller (Blue Jay)
State flower / tree	Ashoka / Ashwattha (Peepal)

Frequently asked Odisha facts

Chilika Lake is the largest brackish-water lagoon in India and, along with Keoladeo (Rajasthan), was one of India’s first two Ramsar wetlands (1981).
The Sun Temple at Konark is a UNESCO World Heritage Site (inscribed in 1984).
Gahirmatha beach in Kendrapara is one of the world’s largest nesting sites of Olive Ridley sea turtles.
Bhitarkanika is known for its mangrove forests and saltwater crocodiles; Simlipal in Mayurbhanj is a tiger reserve and biosphere reserve.
The Kalinga War (around 261 BCE) led Emperor Ashoka to adopt Buddhism.
Utkal Gourab Madhusudan Das led the movement for a separate Odisha province.