Ranchi
If the subject is ‘tribal languages’ then the name Prof Krishna Chandra Tudu, popular as Dr KC Tudu, comes naturally. Not without reason, given the septuagenarian’s illustrious career spanning over four decades dedicated to the cause of tribal languages.
Born in an ordinary tribal family to Rukmini and Hariram Tudu in the nondescript Rajadoha village in Potka block of East Singbhum district in 1952, he received elementary education in his village school.
Subsequently, he moved to Jamshedpur for his schooling and thereafter, to Ranchi for higher studies and where he carved a distinguished career for himself.
After securing a Post Graduate degree in Political Science, Prof Tudu became a lecturer at Asanboni College in East Singhbhum district in 1979. And in 1982, when tribal titan Dr Ram Dayal Munda set up the Tribal Languages Department at Ranchi University, he became one of its founder faculty members.
Interestingly, though Prof Tudu was a PG in Political Science, he not only went on to head the Tribal Languages Department at Ranchi University for several years but also became the face of it.
His expertise in tribal languages, especially Santhali, brought him in close association with highly esteemed organisations like the Union Public Service Commission, University Grants Commission and Sahitya Akademi among others.
“Those days, it was very difficult to find a postgraduate in any of the tribal languages, apparently because these subjects were not being taught by any of the universities around. I was selected for the jobs on basis of my published works in Santhali. It is heartening to see that now we have hundreds of postgraduates and PhD degree holders in tribal languages,” Prof Tudu, who has authored over 30 books and scores of research papers, besides editing several research journals, told The Indian Tribal.
The acclaimed Santhali writer also played a crucial role in setting up tribal languages department in several State-run universities across Jharkhand and Bihar; framing their courses of study and guiding research scholars.
His contributions in the tribal languages arena fetched him felicitations by Doordarshan, All India Radio and several other reputed organisations. He even translated certain portions of the Constitution of India and gazettes (official notifications) published by the Union Ministry of Tribal Affairs and Union Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises in Santhali Language to enable the poor tribals “correctly know their real rights and make a decent living”.
