Workers mount the akhra shed at Ranchi University on Friday. (Prashant Mitra)

Call it the nurturing shed for a cherished dream.

The late tribal intellectual and ideologue Ram Dayal Munda had wanted a shed over the akhra — the cultural centre at Tribal and Regional Language department, Ranchi University, set up in 1981 — for years. That will finally be ready on Saturday.

The akhra complete with the brand-new shed, put up at a cost of Rs 20 lakh, will be inaugurated by Governor Syed Ahmed, also the chancellor of universities of Jharkhand, in the presence of chief minister Arjun Munda and human resource development minister Baidyanath Ram, on the occasion of Sarhul on Sunday.

Akhra in a Jharkhand village is a village square where people gather for cultural and social events. Traditionally, it used to be the soul of a village, where residents shared their joys, sorrows and festivities.

Munda, a towering figure in scholarship and indigenous music, who despite making a name for himself in linguistics at the University of Minnesota, US, stayed close to his tribal roots. It was on his urging in 1981 that then vice chancellor Kumar Suresh Singh had taken the initiative to start a department for tribal languages. Nagpuri scholar B.P. Kesri teamed up with Munda and Singh to set up the Tribal and Regional Language department.

The akhra, with a karam tree, was also instituted at the same time as a vibrant, living tribute to the tribal spirit. Students and visiting foreign delegates and friends gave shramdaan (voluntary labour) to set up the galleries. But the shed remained wanting for more than 30 years.

“We required a shed over the akhra especially during summer and monsoon. Finally, the university has heard our pleas,” Kesri, one of Munda’s close friends, said. “My friend would have been very pleased had he lived,” he added.

Munda died in September 30, 2011.

The only thing that remains undecided is the name of the akhra.

“We are as yet undecided whether to name the akhra after Ram Dayal Munda or Kumar Suresh Singh,” pro-vice chancellor V.P. Sharan told The Telegraph.

Former vice chancellor A.A. Khan had wanted to name the hub after Munda, reasoning that it was he who had played a crucial role in the state’s cultural resurgence.

However, Kesri and Munda’s other friends said that the tribal ideologue, with his characteristic generosity, wanted the akhra to be named after Singh.

“When Mundaji was alive, he had told us to name the akhra after Singh on the grounds that it was he who had the first thought of a post-graduation department for tribal and regional languages. We want Ranchi University to honour Mundaji’s last wishes,” said Kesri.

Clearly, they don’t make men like them anymore.