President Murmu launches Ol Chiki’s centenary celebrations in Delhi

The President of India, Droupadi Murmu, inaugurated the centenary celebrations of the Ol Chiki script, organised by the Ministry of Culture in the national capital.

A Century of Ol Chiki

The Ol Chiki script, invented in 1925 by Raghunath Murmu, was specifically designed for the Santhali language. Prior to its creation, members of the Santal community in India, as well as in Nepal, Bhutan, and Mauritius, used regional scripts that could not accurately represent Santhali pronunciation.

Since its invention, Ol Chiki has become a powerful symbol of Santal identity and cultural unity across borders.

Commemorative Releases

On the occasion of 100 years of Ol Chiki:

• The President released a commemorative coin and postage stamp.
• Ten achievers from the Santal community were felicitated for promoting the script among Santhali speakers.

Constitutional Recognition

Santhali gained constitutional recognition when it was included in the Eighth Schedule through the 92nd Constitutional Amendment Act, 2003.