Santhali Storybook written by students reaches the world stage
Creativity comes so much more naturally when we use our heart languages. Creative writing is part of that, and therefore it is good to note the PALASH initiative (Jharkhand) efforts to get the children to write their own books is bearing fruit: One of their books won an international prize. Let's celebrate with them, but also challenge ourselves as only 1 book from India was chosen, while several other countries had multiple finalists.
In a milestone for indigenous literature and mother-tongue education, a Santhali-language storybook created entirely by schoolgirls from Jharkhand has been selected for the IBBY-UNESCO Collection of Remarkable Books for Young Readers in Indigenous and Endangered Languages. Out of hundreds of global entries, this student-led creation now stands among roughly 170 titles representing over 150 indigenous and endangered languages worldwide. Titled "Rimil Aar Chasha Hodo" (The Cloud and the Farmer), the book was authored and illustrated by young girls studying at Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas (KGBV) in Kanke and Potka. It tells a tale of grit, resilience, and hope as a local farmer navigates a drought in his village.
The book was conceptualised under the PALASH initiative (Promotion of Appropriate Language and Academic Skills for Holistic Education), led by the Jharkhand Education Project Council (JEPC) with technical support from the Language and Learning Foundation (LLF). Through a workshop bringing together 20 young students, the girls authored and illustrated 75 original storybooks across five tribal languages: Ho, Mundari, Santhali, Khariya, and Kudukh. "Rimil Aar Chasha Hodo" was designed specifically to help children in Primary Grades 1 to 5 learn, read, and engage using their native language.
The recognition of "Rimil Aar Chasha Hodo" highlights why investing in mother-tongue publication and writing is essential for India. By empowering tribal children to author and illustrate their own stories rather than relying on standard translations, such initiatives foster pride in one’s mother tongue and align with India's National Education Policy (NEP 2020) guidelines for mother-tongue instruction. Most importantly, validating indigenous languages on a global stage could help language loss, preserve cultural heritage while giving young learners the confidence to see their world reflected in the classroom and beyond. Publishing platforms like Bloom and StoryWeaver make it easier than ever for local communities to create, translate, and distribute their own mother-tongue books to support these grassroots literacy efforts.
As India scales up mother-tongue and multilingual education programs across states, stories like these remind us that language revitalisation starts with giving young learners the trust, tools, and confidence to write their own future.
Regards,
Karsten, in collaboration with Upasana Lepcha
Resources:
Jharkhand students’ Santhali storybook selected for IBBY-UNESCO global collection
Tata Trusts – Parag IBBY India Annual Highlights 2025 Report
IBBY-UNESCO Collection of Remarkable Books for Young Readers in Indigenous and Endangered Languages
A new collection celebrates children's books in Indigenous and endangered languages
PhotoSource:Jharkhand students’ Santhali storybook selected for IBBY-UNESCO global collection