New Delhi: President Droupadi Murmu on Monday inaugurated the centenary celebrations of the Ol Chiki script at a programme organised by the Ministry of Culture in the national capital, marking 100 years of the script that has become a defining symbol of Santal identity.
Addressing the gathering, the President highlighted the rich linguistic and cultural heritage of the Santal community. She noted that although the community possesses its own language, literature and traditions, the absence of a dedicated script had long posed challenges. In the past, the Santhali language was written in Roman, Devanagari, Odia and Bengali scripts, while Santals living in Nepal, Bhutan and Mauritius adopted scripts prevalent in those regions. However, these scripts were unable to accurately capture the phonetic essence of Santhali words.
The President recalled that in 1925, Pandit Raghunath Murmu developed the Ol Chiki script, providing the Santhali language with a distinct written form. Since then, Ol Chiki has grown into a powerful symbol of cultural identity and unity for Santals across the world.
Emphasising the importance of mother tongue education, President Murmu said that while children may pursue education in Hindi, English, Odia, Bengali or other languages, they should also learn Santhali in the Ol Chiki script. She described the centenary as an opportunity to renew collective commitment towards promoting and preserving the script for future generations.
The President expressed happiness that numerous writers are contributing to the enrichment of Santhali literature and urged them to continue using their works to inspire and awaken society. She likened India to an orchard of many languages, observing that language and literature serve as threads that bind communities together. She called for greater efforts to translate Santhali literature into other languages and vice versa, so that linguistic exchange can further strengthen national unity.
On the occasion, the President released a commemorative coin and a special postage stamp to mark 100 years of the Ol Chiki script. She also felicitated ten achievers from the Santal community for their significant contributions in promoting the widespread use of the script among Santhali speakers.
