New Delhi, Delhi, 29th of December, 2025 : The President of India, Smt Droupadi Murmu, graced and addressed the closing ceremony of the 22nd Parsi Maha and the centenary celebrations of Ol Chiki at Jamshedpur, Jharkhand today (December 29, 2025).
Speaking on the occasion, the President said that 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 said 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, Shri 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 said that apart from getting 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. She said that the environment-friendly lifestyle can be learnt from Santhali people and other tribal communities.
The President said that the Santhali literature gains strength through oral traditions and songs of the Santhal community. She noted 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.
The President said that 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 expressed confidence that the All India Santhali Writers’ Association will carry out this task effectively.
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