Santhali language spoken for first time in Rajya Sabha

'Santhali' reverberated in Rajya Sabha for the first time in 67 years since its inception when BJD MP Sarojini Hembram on Friday spoke in the language of the tribal community Santhals.

Herself belonging to Santhal community, Hembram raised the issue of conferring Bharat Ratna to Raghunath Murmu, the inventor of the 'Ol Chiki', the script used in Santhali language.

After her three minute speech during Zero Hour, Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu said it was for the first time that Santhali has been spoken on the floor of Rajya Sabha, that too by a woman member.

He also said the interpretation from Santhali to Hindi was done under the new scheme of empanelled consultant for Santhali, who is not a regular employee of the Rajya Sabha Secretariat but by a PhD student.

Sources said Priti Priya Marandi, who is pursuing her PhD from Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), did the interpretation from Santhali to Hindi.