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PolitySource: Press Information Bureau

Centenary Celebration of the Ol Chiki Script Inaugurated by the President of India

Tuesday, 17 February 2026
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Key Points

The President of India inaugurated the Centenary Celebration of the Ol Chiki script in New Delhi, marking 100 years of its existence. This event underscores the script's crucial role in preserving Santal identity. A commemorative coin and postage stamp were also released.

Detailed Coverage

  • Centenary Celebration of the Ol Chiki script inaugurated by the President of India.
  • Event organized by the Ministry of Culture.
  • Marks 100 years of the script's existence.
  • Significant for preserving Santal identity.
  • Commemorative coin and postage stamp released.
  • Invented by Pandit Raghunath Murmu in 1925.
  • Provides a distinct script for the Santhali language.
  • First book in Ol Chiki: High Serena (1936).
  • Ol Chiki script consists of 30 letters.
  • Designed to be phonetic.
  • Represents glottal stops and vowel patterns of Santhali.
  • Used by Santhali speakers in Jharkhand, Odisha, West Bengal, Bihar, and Assam.
  • Santhali included in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution in 2003.
  • Constitution translated into Santhali in December 2025.
  • Aims for linguistic inclusion and accessibility of rights.
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Given the inclusion of the Santhali language in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution of India, what implications does this have for linguistic rights and representation of minority languages in India?