Odia people

The Odia (ଓଡ଼ିଆ), formerly spelled Oriya, are an Indo-Aryan ethno-linguistic group native to the Indian state of Odisha who speak the Odia language. They constitute a majority in the eastern coastal state, with significant minority populations existing in the neighboring states of Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and West Bengal. Odia is the 9th most spoken language in India. Modern day Odisha was made from Odia speaking - Orissa part of then Bihar and Orissa Province, Odia speaking areas of Madras Presidency, Odia speaking areas of Central Provinces & Odia speaking Gadajats .The first linguistic movement started in 1886 and with successful efforts of Madhusudan Das, the Father of Odia nationalism, Odisha became the first state to be created on lingusitic basis. Prior to that, existed the Orissa Tributary States, Ganjam district and Parts of the Vizagapatam district of Madras Presidency.