Santhali Writers / Writers from the Santhal (or Santal) Community
Writers who are from the Santhal community. There are estimated to be about 9 million Santhal people in India, with primary concentrations in Jharkhand and West Bengal.
Nirmila Putul Murmu (1972- ): A Santhali writer, poet, and activist writing in Hindi. (Hindi Wikipedia) (A profile of and interview with Putul here) ("Buru Gaara", a documentary about Dayamanti Birla and Nirmala Putul, here) (Critical Analysis of Nirmala Putul's Poems on Adivasi Women) (Hindi poems here) (our translation of her poem "Santhal Pargana" here)
Damayanti Beshra (1962- ): A Santali writer, scholar, and educator. She was the first woman from the Santhal community to publish a book of poems. She writes in both Santhali and Odia. (Read our author profile here)
Hansda Sowvendra Shekhar (1983- ): A writer and translator from the Santhal community. His works in English, including The Adivasi WIll Not Dance, have received widespread critical acclaim. (Read our author profile here)
Yashoda Murmu (1964- ) is a Santhali (Santali) writer originally from Jharkhand, who currently resides in Kolkata. She has published two books, Towa Dare and Sanwhet Dare. She writes in the Santali language. A selection of her poems is included in the Kavi Man Jani Man anthology; see our translation of her poem "Primitive Jarawa."
Raghunath Murmu (1905-1982): A Santhali writer who created the Ol Chiki script for writing the Santhali language. (English Wikipedia) (Hindi Wikipedia) (An article on the development of the script) (A documentary about Murmu directed by Prabal Mahto and produced by Tata Steel)
Chandramohan Kisku (1982- ): Santhali writer, poet and translator writing in Hindi and Santhali. Received the Sahitya Akademi Translation Award in 2021 for translating a Bengali novel into Santhali. (Hindi article on the award) (Hindi profile of the author)
Ruby Hembrom: A publisher and author from Kolkata, West Bengal. Ruby Hembrom founded the Adivaani Publishing House, a publishing company devoted to Adivasi literature. She is the daughter of theologian Timotheas Hembrom, a member of the Santhal community. (English Wikipedia)
Timotheas Hembrom (1939-2020): A Santhali theologian, and editor of the Santali magazine Jug-Sirijol. (English Wikipedia)
Krishna Chandra Tudu. (dates unknown) A Santhali writer from Jharkhand. K.C. Tudu has been teaching in the Department of Tribal and Regional Languages at Ranchi University. He has published three collections of poetry, two plays, as well as books on linguistics. Short story "A Span of Land" appears in the Lokpriya Adivasi Kahaniya anthology.
Sundar Manoj Hembram. (dates unknown). Santhali writer who has worked with Indian railways. He has translated works from English into Santhali, and is associated with literary and cultural organizations. He is also the assistant editor for the Santhali literary magazines Nawa Epil and Jug-Sirijol. His short story "The Last Bus of Nighttime Bengal" appears in Lokpriya Adivasi Kahaniya.
Shishir Tudu. (dates unknown) Santhali writer originally from Bihar. Since 1983, he has been associated with Good Books Education Trust, working on magazine editing and radio programming, producing around 400 radio programs. In 1986, he began working as a writer and video filmmaker. Some of his films include Manda Parv, Sarhul, Jharkhand ke Vikas, Ek Anubhuti, Sauriya Pahadiya, Binjhiya, Shiksha, Samaj aur Satta, and Akshar ki Barsaat. His short story "Stain" appears in the Lokpriya Adivasi Kahaniya anthology.
Kalipada Soren (or Kherwal Soren) (1957- ). A Santhali (Santali) writer, who has served as a Member of Parliament for the Jhargram district in West Bengal. Soren is based in West Bengal, and has an M.A. degree from Rabindra Bharati University. He has written many plays, stories, and poems in the Santhali language. He has also received the Sahitya Akaemi award for his play Chet Re Cikayana as well as a Padma Shri in 2022. (English Wikipedia) (Bengali Wikipedia)
Thakur Prasad Murmu (1931-2018). Santhali / Santali writer from Jharkhand. He was primarily a poet who started publishing poetry early, with his first book of poems published in 1947. (Brief bio here) (Bengali Wikipedia)
Sadhu Ramchand Murmu (1897-1954) A Santhali / Santali poet, writer, and teacher from what is today the Jhargram district in West Bengal. On his Bengali Wikipedia page, he is described as the "first Santali poet to blend the higher poetic traditions of Sanskrit and Bengali literature with the rhythm and aesthetic sensibilities of the Santali oral tradition." He is described by Santalis as "Maha-Kabi" or Great Poet. He created an early script for the Santali language called Munj-Dandhe. (Bengali Wikipedia) (English bio here)
Majhi Ramdas Tudu (1854-1951) A Santhali / Santali writer from the East Singhbhum district of Jharkhand. He is an early chronicler of Santali rituals and religious beliefs and practices, with his book Kherowal Bongso Dharam Punthi published in 1894. (English Wikipedia)
Shyam Sundar Hembrom (also spelled Hembram). A Santhali / Santali writer from Orissa, who published a play called Chattarpati Kisku Rapaj in 1948 and a collection of poems called Kherwal Akil Bati in 1950. (English Wikipedia)
Babulal Murmu "Adivasi" (or Adibasi). (? - 2004). A Santhali / Santali writer from Dumka in Jharkhand. He published 23 books between 1966 and 2004, including a collection of poems called Koyo Harre, published in 1974. There is a Hindi-language appraisal of his life and works by R.K. Nirad available for sale here. (Brief bio here)
Sarada Prasad Kisku.(1929- ). A Santhali /Santali poet and fiction writer from the Purulia district of West Bengal. He published a collection of poems called Bhurka Ipil, among many others. He is described as a social reformer who"fought against witchcraft in Santhali society." (Brief bio here) (English Wikipedia)
Gomasta Prasad Soren (1943- ) A Santhali / Santali writer, social worker and educator from the Purulia district of West Bengal. He published a number of works, including Akhara Thau (1965), Nonkan geyabon hor (We Santals are like this), and Nonkan getabon Samaj (Our Society is like this). (English Wikipedia) (brief bio here)