PRESIDENT OF INDIA INAUGURATES THE CENTENARY CELEBRATIONS OF THE OL CHIKI SCRIPT

I have sufficient facts. Writing the note.

1. At a Glance

• Ol Chiki is the indigenous script of the Santhali language, invented in 1925 by Pandit Raghunath Murmu; 2026 marks its centenary [S1][S2].
• Centenary celebrations inaugurated by President Droupadi Murmu in New Delhi on 16 February 2026, organised by the Ministry of Culture [S1].
• Relevant for UPSC under tribal culture, scheduled languages, and constitutional safeguards for linguistic minorities (Art. 29, 30, 350A/B; Eighth Schedule) [S2][S3].

2. Why in the News

• President of India inaugurated the Centenary Celebration of the Ol Chiki script on 16 Feb 2026 in New Delhi [S1].
• Follows the release of the Constitution of India translated into Santhali (in Ol Chiki) by the President, published by the Legislative Department, Ministry of Law & Justice — first such edition [S3][S4].

3. Background & Evolution

• Pre-1925: Santhali was written using Roman, Devanagari, Odia and Bengali scripts; none captured Santhali phonetics accurately [S1].
• 1925: Pandit Raghunath Murmu invented Ol Chiki (30 letters) for the Santhali language [S1][S2].
• 2003: Santhali added to the Eighth Schedule via the 92nd Constitutional Amendment Act (along with Bodo, Dogri, Maithili) [S2].
• 2025: Constitution of India officially published in Santhali (Ol Chiki) by Legislative Department [S3].
• 16 Feb 2026: Centenary inaugurated by President [S1].

4. Core Static Facts

• Script: Ol Chiki — 30 letters; phonetic, designed for Santhali [S2].
• Inventor: Pandit Raghunath Murmu (1925) [S1].
• Language family: Santhali — Austroasiatic (Munda branch) (general knowledge; corroborated by Eighth Schedule listing) [S2].
• Constitutional status: Santhali in Eighth Schedule since 92nd Amendment, 2003 [S2].
• Organising Ministry (centenary): Ministry of Culture, Government of India [S1].
• Constitution in Santhali: Released by President; publisher Legislative Department, Ministry of Law & Justice [S3].
• Santal diaspora cited: communities in Nepal, Bhutan and Mauritius (used local scripts before Ol Chiki) [S1].

5. Multi-Dimensional Analysis

Social / Tribal - Santals are among India's largest Scheduled Tribes, concentrated in Jharkhand, West Bengal, Odisha, Bihar, Assam [S2]. - Script empowers a previously oral language to enter formal education, publishing, and administration [S2].

Legal / Constitutional - Eighth Schedule inclusion (2003) obligates the Union to develop the language; links to Article 344 (Official Languages Commission) and Article 351 (development) [S2]. - Translation of the Constitution operationalises Article 348 flexibility and access-to-justice in mother tongue [S3].

Cultural / Historical - Codification of script transformed Santhali from oral to literary tradition — enabled standardisation of grammar, vocabulary [S2]. - Pre-script multi-script usage diluted phonetic authenticity; Ol Chiki addressed this [S1].

Governance / Administrative - Ministry of Culture leading commemoration; Legislative Department producing official Santhali Constitution — example of Union-level promotion of tribal languages [S1][S3]. - Aligns with NEP 2020 emphasis on mother-tongue-based instruction (policy context).

6. Recent Developments (last 12-18 months)

• 16 Feb 2026: President Murmu inaugurates Ol Chiki centenary, New Delhi [S1].
• 2025: First-ever Santhali (Ol Chiki) edition of the Constitution released by the President [S3][S4].
• Earlier PIB-listed event: President graced Ol Chiki Centenary at Jamshedpur alongside the 22nd Parsi Maha [S5].

7. Prelims Hooks

• Ol Chiki script invented in 1925 by Pandit Raghunath Murmu [S1].
• Script has 30 letters, designed for Santhali [S2].
• Santhali included in the Eighth Schedule by the 92nd Constitutional Amendment Act, 2003 [S2].
• Other languages added by the 92nd Amendment: Bodo, Dogri, Maithili, Santhali (mnemonic: BDMS) [S2].
• Centenary organised by the Ministry of Culture (not Tribal Affairs) [S1].
• Constitution in Santhali released by Legislative Department, Ministry of Law & Justice [S3].
• Santhali belongs to the Austroasiatic (Munda) family — distinct from Indo-Aryan/Dravidian neighbours [S2].
• Before 1925, Santhali written in Roman, Devanagari, Odia, Bengali scripts [S1].
• Santal diaspora exists in Nepal, Bhutan, Mauritius [S1].
• Centenary inaugural date: 16 February 2026, New Delhi [S1].
• Eighth Schedule total languages: 22 (post-2003 amendment) [S2].

8. Mains Relevance

• GS-I: Indian Culture — salient aspects of literature; tribal communities.
• GS-II: Constitution — Eighth Schedule, safeguards for linguistic minorities (Art. 29, 350A/B); welfare schemes for STs.
• Possible question stems:
• "Discuss the role of indigenous scripts like Ol Chiki in preserving tribal identity and the constitutional mechanisms supporting them."
• "Examine the rationale and impact of the 92nd Constitutional Amendment Act, 2003."
• "Translation of the Constitution into scheduled tribal languages strengthens participatory democracy. Comment."

9. Related Topics to Study Next

• Eighth Schedule languages — 22 listed; demands for inclusion (Tulu, Bhojpuri, Rajasthani).
• 92nd Constitutional Amendment Act, 2003 — added Bodo, Dogri, Maithili, Santhali.
• PVTGs & Scheduled Tribes — Santals are India's third-largest ST group.
• Articles 29, 30, 347, 350A, 350B — linguistic minority safeguards.
• Article 244 & Fifth Schedule — administration of tribal areas (relevant to Santal regions).
• NEP 2020 — mother-tongue medium of instruction.
• PM-JANMAN / PM-PVTG Mission — tribal welfare initiatives.
• Hul Diwas (Santhal rebellion, 1855) — Santal historical resistance.

10. Common Errors / Trap Areas

• Confusing Ol Chiki (script) with Santhali (language) — script is 1925; language inclusion is 2003.
• Wrong amendment number: it is the 92nd (not 71st, which added Konkani/Manipuri/Nepali in 1992).
• Wrong ministry: centenary by Ministry of Culture, not Ministry of Tribal Affairs.
• Misclassifying Santhali as Indo-Aryan — it is Austroasiatic (Munda).
• Wrong inventor name spelling — Pandit Raghunath Murmu, not Rajnath.

11. Sources

• [S1] PRESIDENT OF INDIA INAUGURATES THE CENTENARY CELEBRATIONS OF THE OL CHIKI SCRIPT — https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2228822 — (tier 1)
• [S2] Ol Chiki Script: 100 Years of Linguistic Empowerment (PIB backgrounder PDF, 16 Feb 2026) — https://static.pib.gov.in/WriteReadData/specificdocs/documents/2026/feb/doc2026216792601.pdf — (tier 1)
• [S3] Constitution of India translated into Santhali language… released by the President — https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2208484 — (tier 1)
• [S4] PRESIDENT OF INDIA RELEASES THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA IN THE SANTHALI LANGUAGE — https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2208453 — (tier 1)
• [S5] President graces 22nd Parsi Maha and Centenary Celebrations of Ol Chiki at Jamshedpur — https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetailm.aspx?PRID=2209442 — (tier 1)