Dumka, July 6: A strong appeal for introducing Ol Chiki as the medium of instruction from Kindergarten (KG) to Postgraduate (PG) level was made during an Ol Chiki awareness campaign held at Panjanbona village in Dumka district. The programme also reiterated the demand for adopting the principle of “One Language, One Script” to strengthen the Santali language and its literary tradition.

The awareness programme was organised through a Kulhi Durup (Gram Sabha) under the traditional Manjhi-Pargana self-governance system at the initiative of Lekha Hor. The meeting was jointly presided over by Majhi Baba Laxman Hansda and Paranik Suban Soren, who, along with other speakers, highlighted the importance of preserving and promoting the Ol Chiki script.

Addressing the gathering, speakers recalled that Pandit Raghunath Murmu invented the Ol Chiki script in 1925, and that the script has now completed 101 years. They noted that Santali was included in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution of India in 2003, while recent recognitions—including the declaration of Pandit Raghunath Murmu Jayanti as a public holiday by the Jharkhand Government, the release of a commemorative postage stamp and ₹100 coin in his honour, and the publication of the Santali (Ol Chiki) edition of the Constitution of India—reflect the growing recognition of the language and its script.

Participants observed that Santali continues to be written in several scripts, including Bengali, Odia, Devanagari, Assamese and Roman, making it difficult to maintain uniformity in literature and enabling readers from different regions to access each other’s works. They asserted that Ol Chiki, being the indigenous script of the Santali language, should be adopted universally under the principle of “One Language, One Script”, thereby strengthening the language, literature and cultural identity of the Santali community.

The meeting also expressed concern over the increasing dropout rate among Santali children. Speakers stressed that the lack of education in the mother tongue often discourages students and affects their learning outcomes. They argued that introducing education through Ol Chiki from the primary level onwards would significantly improve learning and help preserve the language for future generations.

Through the Gram Sabha, the participants urged the Chief Minister, Members of Parliament and Members of the Legislative Assembly to introduce Ol Chiki-medium education from KG to PG, appoint qualified Ol Chiki teachers without delay, declare Santali as the first official language of Jharkhand, and ensure that government offices in Santali-majority areas display signboards in Santali (Ol Chiki).

To promote the study and wider use of the script, Ol Chiki books were distributed among participants during the programme.

Among those present were Sanat Hembrom, Dilliep Soren, Rameshwar Hansda, Surendra Soren, Sandeep Hansda, Santosh Soren, Santashila Marandi, Teresa Kisku,  Marinila Murmu, Mati Soren, Paku Hansda, Sapan baski,Birendra Soren, Soleman Hansda, Ruban Hansda, Rakhishol Soren, Sikandar Soren, Raju Marandi, Rajiv Marandi, Puja Soren, Sonali Baski, Dipika Hansda, Priti Kisku, Paresh Murmu, Sujal Marandi, social activist Marang Buru Sachidananda Soren, besides a large number of women, men, elders and children from the village.