Murmu calls for inclusive growth, promotion of Ol Chiki script and collective responsibility for tribal upliftment
Prez Murmu sings in Santhali at Ol Chiki centenary in Karandih
Mail News Service
Jamshedpur, Dec 29: President of India Droupadi Murmu on Monday announced that the Union government has launched a mission-mode programme worth Rs 24,000 crore for the holistic development of 75 Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs), stressing that inclusive growth must reach the most marginalised sections of society.
Before beginning her address, President Murmu sang a traditional Santhali Nehor prayer song for nearly three minutes. She said she had learned the song in her childhood, and that it invokes Jaher Ayo (Mother Nature) to guide society on the path of light.
Addressing the centenary celebrations of the Ol Chiki script and the 22nd Santali “Parsi Maha” at Karandih in Jamshedpur, the President urged the community to take pride in their mother tongue and actively contribute to its preservation and expansion.
She appealed to people to promote the Santali language by creating wall art and creative expressions in Ol Chiki script, ensuring that the script reaches every household.
“Teach your children their mother tongue and unite to enrich it further,” she said, adding that the upliftment of all tribal communities—including Munda and others—must go hand in hand.
Highlighting the stark realities faced by PVTGs, President Murmu said many such communities still lack basic necessities like housing and clothing.
“These communities are unaware of government schemes such as PM Awas Yojana. They do not know how cement comes or how a house is built. Therefore, houses must be constructed and handed over to them,” she said, emphasising that direct cash assistance alone is not effective.
She remarked that while the government must lead the effort, communities must also learn, adapt and move forward by drawing inspiration from others.
The President also underlined the role of education and social responsibility, urging those who have progressed in life to support those left behind.
“Every individual should aim to uplift at least two others and adopt villages as per their capacity, so no one is left behind,” she said, lauding the growing participation of women in community initiatives at Karandih.
The President delivered her entire speech in the Santhali language at the event, jointly organised by the All India Santhali Writers Association and the Dishom Jaherthan Committee.
She described her visit to the sacred site as an emotional moment, saying she felt the love of her people and the blessings of the deities.
Appreciating the role of Santhali writers and social workers, the President said they have been relentlessly working to preserve the Ol Chiki script and the Santhali language, carrying forward the unfinished vision of Pandit Murmu.
She termed the publication of the Constitution in the Ol Chiki script by the Union government on the occasion of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s birth centenary as a landmark step towards empowering the Santhali community.
Stressing the importance of linguistic inclusion, President Murmu said that after Santhali’s inclusion in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution, it is essential that information related to laws, governance and administrative systems reaches the community in their own language.
At the ceremony, the President honoured 12 individuals for their outstanding contributions to the promotion of the Santhali language and the Ol Chiki script.
