Grassroots push to save Santali script in Jajpur
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Kendrapada: In the tribal-dominated villages of Sukinda block in Jajpur district, around 40 members of the Santhal community have joined hands to revive and preserve Ol Chiki—the century-old script of the Santali language—by voluntarily teaching it to children and youths.
Invented in 1925 by Raghunath Murmu, Ol Chiki consists of 30 letters and was developed specifically to write Santali, one of India's major tribal languages. "Due to the migration of many tribal families, many children are unaware of the script. That's why we began teaching it," said Pitabas Hemrum, president of the district unit of the Adivasi Socio Education and Culture Association (ASECA).
To popularise the script, ASECA's Jajpur branch, in collaboration with the Board of Santali Education (Rairangpur), recently conducted a three-day Ol Chiki examination at the Ol Chiki Lipi Sikhyakendra in Balipada village.
Held from Friday to Sunday, the event saw participation from 120 tribal students across primary, secondary, and higher secondary levels.
ASECA currently runs 15 Ol Chiki Lipi Sikhyakendras across Jajpur district. Classes are held thrice a week—Friday to Sunday—from 7 to 9 am. None of the 15 teachers receives remuneration; in some villages, locals provide them with food. "Community centres and village clubs serve as makeshift classrooms," said Manmohan Marandi, a teacher from Balipada.
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While chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi had announced plans in Dec 2024 to introduce Santali from the elementary to postgraduate levels and a Rs 50 crore package for Santhal cultural institutions in March 2025, no steps have been taken to appoint Ol Chiki teachers in Jajpur's tribal schools. Jajpur's district welfare officer Sarat Behera said, "Tribal communities are availing several government schemes. Currently, there is no plan to recruit Ol Chiki teachers in the district.
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