The Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences (KISS), Deemed to be University, commemorated the 121st birth anniversary of Pandit Raghunath Murmu alongside the centennial celebration of the Ol Chiki script on 12th May 2025. This momentous occasion was jointly organized by the Pandit Raghunath Murmu Research Chair, the Department of Santali, and the School of Comparative Tribal Languages and Literatures, in collaboration with the Internal Quality Assurance Cell (IQAC) of KISS-DU. The event brought together the KISS-DU fraternity to celebrate the linguistic and cultural contributions of Pandit Murmu.
The Inaugural Ceremony commenced with garlanding of the statue of Pandit Raghunath Murmu instituted in the premises of KISS-DU. The Hon’ble Founder of KISS, KIIT and KIMS, Dr. Achyuta Samanta, blessed all the attendees and expressed his appreciation for the initiative. In his deliberation, he proposed developing a roadmap for celebrating centenary year of Ol Chiki script. Among others, the occasion was graced by the academic community of KISS-DU, Professor Debashis Bandyopadhyay, Vice Chancellor KISS-DU, the Registrar, Dr. Prashanta Kumar Routray, Deans, Directors, Faculty Members and Research Scholars.
Following the garlanding ceremony, the attendees participated in a ritual song, after which “KUNAMI” a journal in Santal language was unveiled in the presence of Hon’ble Founder Dr. Achyuta Samanta. The publication was a commendable step in protecting, promoting and preserving Santali language and culture and mark the centenary year of Ol Chiki script and pay tribute to the contributions of Pandit Raghunath Murmu. A special mention of Mr. Raju Mardi, a Santali research scholar, was made, for his article on Dr. Achyuta Samanta, wherein he has mentioned about the life, works and contributions of Dr. Samanta towards the growth and development of indigenous people.
The celebration was followed by a conference, wherein Professor Debasish Bandyopadhyay, Vice Chancellor, KISS-DU expressed his joy of being part of the event and highlighted his long-standing connection with the Santal community, recalling his experiences as Dean of the Language and Literature Department at Vidyasagar University in West Bengal. He emphasized the rich cultural heritage of the Santal people and commended the Santali language for its unique characteristics. Professor Bandyopadhyay also stressed on the dire need for researching on scripts of indigenous languages.
In his address, Dr. Prashanta Kumar Routray, Registrar, KISS-DU spoke on the objectives behind the establishment of the Pandit Raghunath Murmu Research Chair at KISS-DU. He said that the Research Chair would encourage more scholars to explore the tribal culture and the freedom struggle of Adivasi leaders, particularly the Santali people. While appreciating the recognition received by Santali language, he added that the inclusion of the language in UPSC examinations is a significant achievement. Furthermore, Dr. Routray expressed the need for Santali scholars to expand their research into other freedom fighters and their contributions. He appreciated the Santali Department for launching the Santali Journal this year, and recommended coordination with subject experts and Professors of Practice to enhance the quality of the publication.
Speaking in turn, Mr. Kadey Soren, Assistant Professor and Dy. Director Academics spoke about Pandit Raghunath Murmu’s early life and his determination to create the Ol Chiki script. He emphasized how the invention of the script was an essential step in providing the Santali people with a written form of their language, giving them an invaluable cultural and linguistic identity. The Ol Chiki script has played a crucial role in protecting, preserving and promoting the Santali language for generations.
Dr. Naran Tudu, Head of the Santali Department and Research Chair, gave an insightful speech on the significance of the day. He highlighted the importance of the birth anniversary of Pandit Raghunath Murmu and the centenary of the Ol Chiki script in shaping the Santali cultural identity. His speech was instrumental in framing the broader cultural and linguistic context of the Santal community’s historical and contemporary struggles.
The event also witnessed multilingual deliberations by the research scholars in Santali, Odia, Sanskrit and English. These multilingual speeches were a testament to the diversity and richness of the cultural fabric of India.
Dr. Dhanu Murmu, Assistant Professor, Department of Santali proposed Vote of Thanks.
