Jamshedpur/New Delhi
Santali writers and scholars have raised concerns over what they describe as persistent delay by Jharkhand and Odisha in introducing the Ol Chiki script at the primary school level, despite both States having a large Santal population, Santali’s constitutional recognition and above all, Santali Chief Ministers.
Jharkhand, which has the largest Santal population, teaches Ol Chiki at higher education levels but has yet to introduce it comprehensively at the primary level. Odisha, the birthplace of the Ol Chiki movement, recognises Santali as a regional language but has only limited implementation in primary education.
Joba Murmu, vice-chairperson of the women’s wing of the All India Santali Writers Association and Sahitya Akademi Award winner (2017), termed the situation “unfortunate,” particularly given the historical roots of the Ol Chiki movement in these two states.
“It is unfortunate that Odisha, from where Pandit Raghunath Murmu started his movement, and Jharkhand, from where Pandit Raghunath Murmu started his first publication of Ol Chiki books, have not shown the seriousness needed in introducing Ol Chiki at the primary school level,” she told The Indian Tribal.
Joba stressed that introduction of Ol Chiki in primary education by States such as West Bengal and Assam are creating an uneven landscape in the promotion of Santali across India.
West Bengal formally recognised the Ol Chiki script in 1978 and subsequently introduced it as a medium of instruction in primary education, making it one of the earliest States to institutionalise Santali in formal schooling. Over 350 primary and secondary schools in West Bengal teach Santali using the Ol Chiki script. Santali is also taught up to higher secondary and university levels.
Assam too has recently included Ol Chiki in school education and actively promotes it through textbooks and cultural institutions.
“It is mandatory as per the New Education Policy to have studies in matribhasa (mother language), but unfortunately the Jharkhand and Odisha governments are not showing that level of seriousness despite having Santali chief ministers at the helm,” said Joba, who is also a government school teacher in Jamshedpur.
Last year, the then Education Minister late Ramdas Soren had in the Santali writers’ conference announced to introduce Ol Chiki in primary education in Jharkhand. But it has continued to remain a non-starter.
The voices of concern emanate just days ahead of the closing ceremony of the Ol Chiki centenary, which will be attended by President Droupadi Murmu at Jaher Sthan, a traditional tribal place of worship, in Karandih on the outskirts of Jamshedpur on December 29. The programme, jointly hosted by the All India Santali Writers Association and the Jaher Sthan Committee, will felicitate nearly 100 Santali writers from Odisha, West Bengal, Assam and Jharkhand.
Academics warn that the neglect is not limited to school education but extends to higher education institutions as well. Baburam Soren, professor in the Santali department at Lal Bahadur Shastri Memorial College, Karandih—a constituent college under Kolhan University—and deputy secretary of the Kolhan region of the All India Santali Writers Association, said the absence of institutional support was undermining tribal language studies.
“Kolhan University is failing in its objective to promote tribal languages by not having full-time faculty in tribal and regional languages. The absence of full-time faculty for the last three years is severely hampering tribal youths from pursuing doctorate programmes,” Soren said.
The concerns raised by writers gain added significance in the context of the historical role Ol Chiki has played in preserving Santali language and identity.
HOWEVER:
- In Jharkhand, the Pandit Raghunath Murmu Tribal University Bill, 2022 was passed by the State Assembly, for creating a University headquartered in Jamshedpur with statewide jurisdiction. The University’s core purpose is to preserve and research tribal languages and culture, and it will offer education in 10 faculties to benefit students across Jharkhand and neighbouring states. Additionally, there’s a memorial statue at Kosapulia in the East Singhbhum district to commemorate his contributions.
- The Odisha government has announced a special Rs 50-crore cultural package including transforming Pandit Raghunath Murmu’s ancestral residence and Samadhi Peeth, both located in the Dandbose (Dahardih) village near Rairangpur in the Mayurbhanj district of Odisha, into a memorial pilgrimage site; establishing an Ol Chiki library in Baripada, creating an open theatre–museum and a heritage centre, and organising year-long statewide events along with an international seminar to promote Santali language and culture. It declared his birth anniversary a public holiday.
Jogendranath Murmu, Assistant Professor in the Department of Santali at The University of Burdwan, West Bengal, has documented the movement’s impact in his journal titled “Ol Chiki Movement is the Symbol of Renaissance of Santal Community”, published a year ago.
He writes that the movement, launched by Pandit Raghunath Murmu of Mayurbhanj district in Odisha, sought to free Santali from dependence on scripts that could not adequately capture its phonetics.
“The use of other scripts, which were unable to accurately represent the distinctive phonetics of the Santali language, was supplanted by this native script. In addition to making it easier to accurately record and share Santal literature, folklore, and customs, the Ol-Chiki script helped the Santal people rediscover their sense of self and pride. It gave the people the ability to fight against cultural assimilation and recover their linguistic heritage,” the journal states.
Jogendranath Murmu further notes the educational impact of the movement. “Education has been greatly impacted by the movement; the script has been included into curricula, increasing literacy rates and providing Santal youngsters with more educational options.”
Explaining the script’s design, he adds: “The Ol-Chiki script, known as the Santali alphabet, consists of 30 letters that correspond to individual sounds in the Santali language. It is easy to learn and intuitive since the script is phonetic, meaning that each symbol represents a certain sound.”
Despite these strengths, Jogendranath cautions that the movement’s future depends on policy implementation rather than symbolic gestures.
“The future prospects of the Ol-Chiki movement are indeed promising, with numerous opportunities for sustaining and expanding its impact. By integrating the script into formal education, embracing technological advancements, linking with economic and social initiatives, fostering collaboration and partnerships, engaging the youth, and promoting global recognition, the movement can continue to thrive as a symbol of the renaissance of the Santal community.”
Speaking about the President’s itinerary, Rabindra Murmu, general secretary of the All India Santali Writers Association, said the President will remain at the programme for over an hour.
“She will deliver a lecture on the Ol Chiki movement and also felicitate 100 Santali writers who had worked with Pandit Raghunath Murmu. There will also be debates and other competitions in Ol Chiki,” he said.
The centenary celebrations will also feature a symposium on Shikar Parba and Sohrai Parba, two major tribal festivals, along with platforms for emerging writers to present their literary works.
OL CHIKI, SANTALI AND A CENTURY OF RECOGNITION
- Santali, included in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution through the 92nd Amendment Act, 2003, is one of the most ancient living languages of India.
- It is spoken by a significant tribal population in Jharkhand, Odisha, West Bengal and Bihar
- President Droupadi Murmu on December 25, 2025 released the Constitution of India in the Santali language at a function held at Rashtrapati Bhavan
- President said it was a matter of pride and joy for the Santali people that the Constitution is now available in Santali written in the Ol Chiki script, enabling them to read and understand it in their own language
PANDIT RAGHUNATH MURMU & THE OL CHIKI LEGACY
Who Was Pandit Raghunath Murmu?
Pandit Raghunath Murmu was born in 1905 in Dandbose village of Mayurbhanj district in present-day Odisha and passed away in 1982. Revered as Guru Gomke (Great Teacher) by the Santal community, he is remembered as the inventor of the Ol Chiki script—the first indigenous script exclusively designed for the Santali language. A self-taught scholar, writer and social reformer, Murmu dedicated his life to preserving and strengthening Santal language, culture and identity. He not only invented the Ol Chiki script in 1925 but also authored primers, grammar books, plays and educational texts, personally leading campaigns to popularise the script among the Santals.
The Ol Chiki Movement: Why It Matters
The Ol Chiki movement emerged in the 1920s as a cultural and linguistic renaissance within the Santal community. Before the invention of Ol Chiki, Santali was written using Bengali, Odia, Roman or Devanagari scripts—none of which could accurately represent the language’s phonetics. The introduction of Ol Chiki enabled the preservation of Santali folklore, oral traditions and literature, expanded literacy within the Santal community, and strengthened cultural identity by resisting linguistic and cultural assimilation.
About Ol Chiki Script
The Ol Chiki script itself is uniquely structured to suit the Santali language. It consists of 30 letters and is fully phonetic, with each letter corresponding to a distinct sound. Designed to be simple and intuitive, the script is particularly accessible for first-generation learners. Santali was included in the Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution in 2003, with Ol Chiki recognised as its official script, giving the language constitutional status.
How Pandit Raghunath Murmu Is Honoured
Pandit Raghunath Murmu continues to be honoured across Santal regions for his contributions. He is widely revered as Guru Gomke, and his birth anniversary on May 5 is observed by Santali organisations across states. Statues, memorials and cultural centres have been named after him in Odisha, Jharkhand and West Bengal. His literary and educational works are preserved and promoted by bodies such as the All India Santali Writers Association and Santali departments in universities. The centenary celebrations of the Ol Chiki movement (1925–2025) are being held across India, culminating in the December 29 programme in Jamshedpur to be chaired by President Draupadi Murmu.
Why His Legacy Remains Relevant?
Despite constitutional recognition and growing academic acceptance, experts argue that Pandit Raghunath Murmu’s vision of mother-tongue-based education and cultural empowerment remains incomplete. They contend that the continued absence of Ol Chiki at the primary school level in Jharkhand and Odisha undermines the long-term sustainability of Santali language education and the very ideals that inspired the Ol Chiki movement a century ago.
