From Medical Officer to Linguistic Trailblazer: Narayan Oraon’s Journey To Preserve Adivasi Languages

A young Adivasi doctor called Narayan Oraon paid his friend Vinod Kumar Bhagat a visit one evening in 1993 at a hostel in Ranchi.  During these years, the campaign for Jharkhand's separation from Bihar was rapidly gaining ground. Communities of Adivasis in the area, who had long faced social, economic, and cultural discrimination in their own state, were calling for the creation of a separate state where their rights would be protected. Oraon's friend Bhagat was a student leader and one of the most passionate supporters of the Jharkhand movement. During their conversation, Bhagat shared his doubts about the movement's purpose, questioning whether it would truly change anything in their society. But as the two friends talked, Bhagat came to a realization: if the movement could preserve the unique culture and languages of the Adivasi communities, then it would be a true success. This insight inspired Oraon to dedicate himself to developing a script for his own community's language, Kurukh. Despite having no formal training in linguistics, Oraon worked tirelessly to create a script that would honor the traditions and unique features of Kurukh. He named it Tolong Siki, after a traditional garment worn by men in Adivasi communities, and the script's design was inspired by the way the garment was wrapped. For a decade, Oraon worked on developing Tolong Siki in his free time, while also working as a medical officer for the government. His dedication paid off when eventually the Jharkhand government officially recognized Tolong Siki as the official script for the Kurukh language. Oraon's achievement was a rare feat, even for linguistic scholars. He had become a crucial figure in the history of Kurukh culture, following in the footsteps of other trailblazers who developed scripts for their own communities. With Tolong Siki, Oraon had helped to ensure that the Adivasi communities' unique languages and cultures would be preserved for generations to come.