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KISS-DU Observes 121st Birth Anniversary of Pandit Raghunath Murmu and the Centennial Celebration of the OlChiki Script
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KISS-DU Observes 121st Birth Anniversary of Pandit Raghunath Murmu and the Centennial Celebration of the OlChiki Script
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KISS-DU Observes 121st Birth Anniversary of Pandit Raghunath Murmu and the Centennial Celebration of the OlChiki Script
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KISS-DU Observes 121st Birth Anniversary of Pandit Raghunath Murmu and the Centennial Celebration of the OlChiki Script
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KISS-DU Observes 121st Birth Anniversary of Pandit Raghunath Murmu and the Centennial Celebration of the OlChiki Script
-
KISS-DU Observes 121st Birth Anniversary of Pandit Raghunath Murmu and the Centennial Celebration of the OlChiki Script
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KISS-DU Observes 121st Birth Anniversary of Pandit Raghunath Murmu and the Centennial Celebration of the OlChiki Script
The Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences (KISS) Deemed to be University, commemorated the 121st birth anniversary of Pandit Raghunath Murmu alongside the centennial celebration of the OlChiki script on 12th May 2025. This momentous occasion was jointly organized by the Pandit Raghunath Murmu Research Chair, the Department of Santali, and the School of Comparative Tribal Languages and Literatures, in collaboration with the Internal Quality Assurance Cell (IQAC) of KISS-DU.
The Inaugural Ceremony commenced with garlanding of the statue of Pandit Raghunath Murmu instituted in the premises of KISS-DU. The Founder of KISS, KIIT and KIMS, Dr. Achyuta Samanta, blessed all the attendees and expressed his appreciation for the initiative. In his deliberation, he proposed developing a roadmap for celebrating the centenary year of OlChiki script.
Following the garlanding ceremony, “KUNAMI” a journal in Santal language was unveiled in the presence of the Founder. The publication is a commendable step in protecting, promoting and preserving Santali language and culture and marks the centenary year of OlChiki script and pays tribute to the contributions of Pandit Raghunath Murmu. A special mention of Mr. Raju Mardi, a Santali research scholar, was made, for his article on Dr. Achyuta Samanta, wherein he has written about the life, works and contributions of Dr. Samanta towards the growth and development of indigenous people.
The celebration was followed by a conference, wherein Professor Debasish Bandyopadhyay, Vice Chancellor, KISS-DU highlighted his long-standing connection with the Santal community, recalling his experiences as Dean of the Language and Literature Department at Vidyasagar University in West Bengal. He emphasized the rich cultural heritage of the Santal people and commended the Santali language for its unique characteristics. Professor Bandyopadhyay also stressed on the dire need for researching on scripts of indigenous languages.
In his address, Dr. Prashanta Kumar Routray, Registrar, KISS-DU spoke on the objectives behind the establishment of the Pandit Raghunath Murmu Research Chair at KISS-DU. He said that the Research Chair would encourage more scholars to explore the tribal culture and the freedom struggle of Adivasi leaders, particularly the Santali people. While appreciating the recognition received by the Santali language, he added that the inclusion of the language in UPSC examinations is a significant achievement. Furthermore, Dr. Routray expressed the need for Santali scholars to expand their research into other freedom fighters and their contributions.
Speaking in turn, Mr. Kadey Soren, Assistant Professor and Dy. Director Academics spoke about Pandit Raghunath Murmu’s early life and his determination to create the OlChiki script. He emphasized how the invention of the script was an essential step in providing the Santali people with a written form of their language, giving them an invaluable cultural and linguistic identity.
Dr. Naran Tudu, Head of the Santali Department and Research Chair, gave an insightful speech on the significance of the day. He highlighted the importance of the birth anniversary of Pandit Raghunath Murmu and the centenary of the OlChiki script in shaping the Santali cultural identity. The event also witnessed multilingual deliberations by the research scholars in Santali, Odia, Sanskrit and English. These multilingual speeches were a testament to the diversity and richness of the cultural fabric of India.
Dr. Dhanu Murmu, Assistant Professor, Department of Santali proposed a vote of thanks.