Never forget mother tongue, let’s unite for better society: President Murmu

Jamshedpur, Dec 29: Droupadi Murmu on Monday called upon citizens to remain rooted in their mother tongues while working together for social progress, saying language forms the core of cultural identity and community life.
Addressing the 22nd Santali ‘Parsi Maha’ (Language Day) and the centenary celebrations of the Ol Chiki script at the Dishom Jaherthan courtyard in Karandih, on the outskirts of Jamshedpur, the President underlined the need to preserve indigenous languages amid growing linguistic diversity.
Opening her address with a prayer to Jaher Aayo, the tribal mother deity, spoken in Santali, Murmu said learning multiple languages enriches knowledge, but one must never distance oneself from the language spoken at home. She urged people to use their mother tongue while engaging with their own communities.
The President described the Ol Chiki script, created in 1925 by Pandit Raghunath Murmu, as a strong expression of Santal cultural identity. She recalled that before Ol Chiki came into use, Santali was written in Roman, Devanagari, Odia and Bengali scripts, which often failed to fully reflect the language’s structure and sound.
Murmu acknowledged the role played by Tata Steel in supporting the promotion of the Ol Chiki script and stressed that social development requires joint effort from institutions, communities and individuals alike.
Referring to a recent initiative, the President said she had released a Santali version of the Constitution of India written in the Ol Chiki script on December 25, the birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. She expressed hope that Santali-speaking citizens would now find it easier to read and understand the Constitution in their own language.
Murmu also highlighted the need to balance development with environmental care, stating that language and literature connect generations and cultures. She encouraged translation efforts and literary exchange programmes to help Santali literature reach readers from other linguistic backgrounds.
The President noted that the Centre has allocated ₹24,000 crore for the welfare of Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs). During the event, she honoured 12 Santali scholars and writers for their contributions to literature and language development.
The function was attended by Jharkhand Governor Santosh Gangwar, Chief Minister Hemant Soren, and TMC MP from Jhargram and Padma Shri awardee Kalipada Soren.
Governor Gangwar said Ol Chiki represents cultural awareness and the collective identity of tribal society. Chief Minister Soren reiterated the state government’s commitment to teaching the Santali language in the Ol Chiki script across Jharkhand, adding that efforts are underway to preserve and enrich tribal languages.
The programme was organised by the All India Santhali Writers’ Association and the Dishom Jaherthan Committee to mark 100 years of the Ol Chiki movement launched in 1925. The President also paid tribute to Pandit Raghunath Murmu by garlanding his bust.
Murmu arrived in Jharkhand on Sunday night for a three-day visit. On Tuesday, she is scheduled to travel to Gumla to address the Antarrajyiy Jansanskritik Samagam Samaroh–Kartik Jatra, an interstate folk cultural gathering.