President Droupadi Murmu on Thursday released the Constitution of India in the Santhali language at a function held at Rashtrapati Bhavan, marking a significant step towards linguistic inclusion and accessibility.
Addressing the gathering, the President said it was a moment of pride and happiness for the Santhali-speaking community that the Constitution is now available in their own language, written in the Ol Chiki script. She said this would enable SWanthali speakers to read and understand the Constitution more easily and connect more deeply with its values and principles.
The President noted that the release assumes special significance as the country is celebrating the centenary year of the Ol Chiki script. She appreciated the Union Ministry of Law and Justice and its team for bringing out the Constitution in the Ol Chiki script during this milestone year.
Vice President C P Radhakrishnan and Union Minister of State for Law and Justice Arjun Ram Meghwal were among the dignitaries present on the occasion.
Santhali, one of India’s most ancient living languages, was included in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution through the 92nd Constitutional Amendment Act, 2003. The language is spoken by a large tribal population across Jharkhand, Odisha, West Bengal and Bihar.
