Bhubaneswar: Ramjeet Tudu, a youth from Mayurbhanj district in Odisha, received special recognition from Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the 114th episode of the Mann Ki Baat program today for his extraordinary efforts to promote the Santhali language at an international level through digital innovation.
Prime Minister Modi highlighted Tudu’s work in giving Santhali a new identity in the digital world, making it accessible to millions of people. “There are some languages that are spoken by very few people, but unique efforts are being made to preserve these languages. One such language is Santhali, spoken by the Santhal tribal community across several states,” said the Prime Minister.
Tudu’s journey began when he and others in his community faced difficulties in sending messages in their native Santhali language, which uses the Ol Chiki script. Determined to find a solution, Tudu, with the help of friends, developed a method to type in Ol Chiki, making digital communication in Santhali possible.
Today, thanks to his efforts, Santhali literature and articles are reaching a global audience. Tudu’s digital platform allows people to read and write in Santhali, preserving the language for future generations.