RSP & NIT-Rourkela Release Multilingual Vocabulary Book For Tribal Students

Rourkela: Rourkela Steel Plant (RSP) in collaboration with National Institute of Technology (NIT), Rourkela released a multilingual vocabulary book, ‘Asa Padhiba Ama Bhasha’, for the first generation tribal learners.

PK Satapathy, ED (P&A), RSP released the pictorial word book in a programme organised at Indo-English School, Rourkela on Saturday.

The book has been designed and developed by NIT under the CSR support of RSP. The RSP has provided Rs 12 lakh for implementation of the project. TB Toppo and AN Pati, both AGM (CSR), were also present during the book release programme.

The vocabulary book has been prepared to help the tribal students learn and understand things in their own language. It contains around 380 pictorial items. It is written in English, Hindi and Odia and 6 tribal languages of the region – Sadri, Uraon (Kurukh), Munda, Khadia, Ho and Santhali. Around 400 copies of the book will be distributed in the schools covered under the scheme.

Satapathy lauded the collaborative effort between industry and academia, emphasising the importance of preserving and promoting vulnerable tribal languages. He expressed confidence that the pictorial vocabulary book would bridge the learning gaps for first-generation tribal learners in the region.

PK Swain, CGM (TA & CSR), in his address, hoped that the book would greatly benefit tribal children in their learning journey.

Prof Seemita Mohanty, Department of Humanities & Social Science, NIT, Rourkela highlighted the significance of multilingual education in fostering understanding and appreciation for other cultures and languages which would also promote ‘sustainable multilingualism’.

Munmun Mittra, GM (CSR) and Manju Mukherjee, Founder & Principal Emeritus, Indo-English School, and Basanti Mohanty, Principal, Indo-English School also spoke. Teachers and students of the school under the ANWESHA scheme of the state government also attended the programme.

The book has been conceptualised and compiled by Prof Seemita Mohanty and K Viswanath, Teacher, Indo-English School.