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President Murmu Celebrates Ol Chiki Script Centenary & Santhali Constitution Release

President Droupadi Murmu graced the closing ceremony of the 22nd Parsi Maha and the centenary celebrations of the Ol Chiki script in Jamshedpur. She highlighted how the script, created in 1925, became a powerful symbol of Santhal identity and announced the release of the Constitution in Santhali written in Ol Chiki. The President emphasized the importance of mother-tongue education for community development and praised tribal communities for their environment-friendly lifestyles. She also urged writers to promote literary exchanges and translations to enrich Santhali and other languages.

Key Points: President Murmu at Ol Chiki Centenary & Santhali Constitution Launch

  • Centenary of Ol Chiki script
  • Constitution released in Santhali
  • Mother tongue key to development
  • Tribal environmental wisdom
  • Literary exchange urged
2 min read

President Murmu graces 22nd Parsi Maha and centenary celebrations of Ol Chiki at Jamshedpur

President Droupadi Murmu addressed the 22nd Parsi Maha, celebrating 100 years of the Ol Chiki script and the release of the Constitution in Santhali.

"This script has become a powerful symbol of the Santhal identity. – President Droupadi Murmu"

New Delhi, December 29

The President of India, Droupadi Murmu, addressed the closing ceremony of the 22nd Parsi Maha and the centenary celebrations of Ol Chiki at Jamshedpur, Jharkhand today, an official press release from Rashtrapati Bhavan said.

Speaking on the occasion, the President said, "The Santhals have their own language, literature, and culture. However, a century ago, due to the lack of a script for Santhali language, various scripts such as Roman, Devanagari, Odia, and Bengali were used. In these scripts, many Santhali words could not be pronounced correctly. In 1925, Pandit Raghunath Murmu created the Ol Chiki script. Since then, this script has become a powerful symbol of the Santhal identity."

The President added that she got an opportunity to release the Constitution of India in Santhali language, written in the Ol Chiki script, on the birth anniversary of former Prime Minister of India, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, on December 25, 2025. She expressed confidence that now Santhali-speaking people will be able to read and understand the Constitution written in their mother tongue and Ol Chiki script.

The President also said that apart from getting an education in any other language, learning the mother tongue, Santhali in the Ol Chiki script, is also important for the overall development of the Santhal community. She was happy to note that writers and language enthusiasts are working for the development and promotion of the Santhali language.

The President also urged people to move on the path of development while keeping in mind the need for environment conservation. "An environment-friendly lifestyle can be learnt from Santhali people and other tribal communities," she added.

"The Santhali literature gains strength through oral traditions and songs of the Santhal community," President Murmu said, noting that many writers are enriching Santhali literature through their works. She said that awakening the people of tribal communities is an important task. She urged writers to do that through their writings.

"Language and literature bind communities together. Literary exchanges between different languages enrich those languages and communities. Translations make this exchange possible. Therefore, there is a need to introduce students of the Santhali language to other languages. Similar efforts should be made to make Santhali literature accessible to students of other languages," she added, expressing confidence that the All India Santhali Writers' Association will carry out this task effectively.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

S
Sarah B
As a linguist, I find this fascinating. The creation of the Ol Chiki script to accurately capture Santhali phonetics is a significant achievement in linguistic self-determination. More power to the Santhali writers!
P
Priyanka N
Releasing the Constitution in Santhali is a powerful symbolic step. Every Indian should be able to read our founding document in their mother tongue. This is true inclusion. Well done!
R
Rohit P
Respectfully, while celebrating languages is important, I hope there is equal focus on providing quality education, healthcare, and jobs in these tribal areas. Development has to be holistic.
M
Michael C
The point about learning from tribal communities on environment-friendly living is so true. Their traditional knowledge systems are a treasure trove for sustainable development. We have much to learn.
K
Kavya N
My grandmother used to sing Santhali songs. The oral tradition is so rich. Glad to see it getting recognition at the highest level. Preserving these stories and songs is preserving our soul as a nation.

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