President Murmu releases Constitution of India in Santhali language

President Droupadi Murmu released the Constitution of India in the Santhali language at a function held at Rashtrapati Bhavan on Thursday. Vice President C P Radhakrishnan and Law and Justice Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal were among the dignitaries present on the occasion.

Addressing the gathering, the President said that it is a matter of pride and joy for all the Santhali people that the Constitution of India is now available in the Santhali language, written in the Ol Chiki script. It will make them able to read and understand the Constitution in their own language, she noted.

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Appreciating the Union Minister of Law and Justice and his team for bringing the Constitution of India in Ol Chiki script in its centenary year, she said, “This year, we are celebrating the centenary of the Ol Chiki script.”

The Santhali language was indeed included in the Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution through the 92nd Amendment Act, 2003, alongside Bodo, Dogri, and Maithili, officially recognising these languages and enabling their use in government, education, and exams.

It is one of the major ancient living languages of India, spoken by the tribal people primarily in East-Central India (Jharkhand, West Bengal, Odisha, Assam, and Bihar) but also in Nepal and Bangladesh, and is known for its unique Ol Chiki script and rich oral traditions.