Jamshedpur: President Droupadi Murmu on Monday urged people to never forget their respective mother tongues, and called for collective efforts towards the betterment of society.
She was addressing the 22nd Santali ‘Parsi Maha’ (language day) and centenary celebrations of the Ol Chiki script of the Santali language at Dishom Jaherthan courtyard in Karandih on the outskirts of Jamshedpur city in East Singhbhum district.
Beginning her address with a prayer to ‘Jaher Aayo’, the tribal mother deity, in Santali, Murmu said, “There is no harm in learning other languages, but never forget your own mother tongue. When you speak with your own people, always try to converse in your mother tongue.”
Highlighting the importance of the Ol Chiki script for the Santal community, she said the script, created by Pandit Raghunath Murmu in 1925, had become a powerful symbol of Santal identity.
She noted that prior to its creation, Santali was written in multiple scripts such as Roman, Devanagari, Odia and Bengali, which did not always convey the language accurately.
Appreciating Tata Steel for its contribution in promoting Ol Chiki, she said collective efforts are needed for the betterment of society.
The President said she got an opportunity to release the Constitution of India in Santali language, written in the Ol Chiki script, on the birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on December 25.
She expressed confidence that now Santali-speaking people will be able to read and understand the Constitution written in their mother tongue and Ol Chiki script.
Urging development with attention to environmental conservation, Murmu said language and literature bind communities, and encouraged translations and literary exchanges to make Santali literature accessible to students of other languages.
She noted that the Centre had released Rs 24,000 crore for the development of particularly vulnerable tribal groups (PVTGs) and felicitated 12 distinguished Santali individuals for contributions to literature.
The President also felicitated 12 distinguished Santali individuals for their contributions to the development of literature.
Murmu was the chief guest at the function, which was also attended by Governor Santosh Gangwar, Chief Minister Hemant Soren and TMC MP from Jhargram (West Bengal) and Padmashree recipient Kalipada Soren.
The Governor said Ol-Chiki was not just a script but a symbol of an ideological consciousness, cultural glory and identity of tribal community.
The CM said the government was committed to ensuring the teaching of the Santhali language in the Ol Chiki script in Jharkhand.
“We are continuously moving forward in the direction of developing tribal languages and making them safe, protected, and enriched,” he said.
The programme, organised by the All India Santhali Writers’ Association and Dishom Jaherthan Committee, marked 100 years of the Ol Chiki movement launched in 1925 by Pandit Raghunath Murmu. She also paid tributes to Pandit Raghunath Murmu, the creator of the Ol Chiki script, by garlanding his bust.
The President arrived in Jharkhand on Sunday night on a three-day visit.
On Tuesday, she will visit Gumla to address ‘Antarrajyiy Jansanskritik Samagam Samaroh-Kartik Jatra’ (interstate folk cultural gathering).
