Tribal and regional language department of Ranchi University

Ranchi, Oct. 26: Pockets of state academia seem to have finally woken up to the threat of extinct tribal tongues.

The tribal and regional language department of Ranchi University (RU) has sent letters to vice chancellors (V-Cs) of universities in the state as well as of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), New Delhi, urging them to open similar departments in their respective varsities.

Department head Giridhari Ram Gaunjhu, in his letter to vice chancellors, has argued that opening such departments was vital to promote minority languages under threat of extinction. Besides, many tribal students are evincing interest in learning their mother tongues, but RU does not have enough seats.

“I urged V-Cs to open departments to introduce teaching tribal and regional languages that are in demand in their respective regions,” said Gaunjhu.

Gaunjhu has written to Vinoba Bhave University in Hazaribagh, Nilambar Pitambar University in Daltonganj, Kolhan University in Chaibasa, Central University of Jharkhand and JNU. Sido-Kanho University, Dumka, already has such a department, the second university in the state to have one.

At present, five tribal languages — Mundari, Santhali, Ho, Kuruk and Kharia — and four regional languages — Kurumali, Nagpuri, Khortha and Panchpargania — are taught in RU, making the department the largest of its kind, offering 360 postgraduate seats. Sido-Kanho University’s tribal language department teaches Santhali language and literature. RU opened India’s first-of-its-kind department in 1980 at the behest of then V-C Kumar Suresh Singh.

Noted tribal ideologue Ram Dayal Munda was asked to head it.