Why In News :

  • Droupadi Murmu released the Constitution of India in the Santhali language.
  • The event was held on December 25, 2025, at Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi.
  • The Constitution has been published in Santhali language using the Ol Chiki script.

KEY STATEMENTS BY THE PRESIDENT

  • The President said this is a moment of pride and happiness for the Santhali-speaking people.
  • She said the translated Constitution will help people read and understand the Constitution in their own language.
  • This step will strengthen inclusion, awareness, and constitutional values among tribal communities.

ROLE OF UNION GOVT.

  • The President appreciated Arjun Ram Meghwal, Union Minister of Law and Justice.
  • She also praised his team for publishing the Constitution in Ol Chiki script.
  • The release was done during the centenary year related celebrations of the Constitution.

ABOUT SANTHALI LANGUAGE

1. Constitutional Status
  • Santhali was included in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution.
  • This was done through the 92nd Constitutional Amendment Act, 2003.
2. Geographical Spread
  • Santhali is spoken mainly in Jharkhand, Odisha, West Bengal, and Bihar.
  • It is also spoken in Nepal and Bangladesh.
  • In India, around 7 million people speak Santhali.
3. Community Association
  • The language is primarily used by the Santhal tribal community.
  • It plays an important role in preserving tribal culture, traditions, and identity.
4. Language Family
  • Santhali belongs to the Munda branch of the Austroasiatic language family.
  • This language family is very ancient and spread across South and Southeast Asia.
  • Santhali is different from the Indo-European languages spoken in most parts of India.
  • It is closely related to Ho, Mundari, and Korku
5. Linguistic Features
  • Santhali is an agglutinative language, where words are formed by joining smaller units.
  • It also uses tones, which affect meaning.
  • The language has a rich oral tradition, including folk songs, stories, and rituals.
6. Ol Chiki Script
  • Santhali is written in the Ol Chiki script.
  • The script was developed in 1925 by Raghunath Murmu, a Santhali scholar and writer.
  • Ol Chiki is unique and specially designed to suit the sounds and structure of Santhali.

SIGNIFICANCE (WHY THIS MATTERS?)

  • Promotes linguistic diversity and inclusion.
  • Helps tribal communities connect better with constitutional rights and duties.
  • Strengthens the idea of constitutional democracy at the grassroots level.