Bhadrachalam (Khammam): The resurrection of Gondi/Koya, a unique language connected with the aspirations of the largest forest-dwelling tribal group in the country, will soon be a reality. The Central Gondwana Network’s (CGNet) mission to bring a standardized dictionary of the Gondi language will soon take a shape.

According to Census-2011, the Gondi population is 1.13 crore while the Gondi-speaking population is 27.13 lakh. However, the Gondi community leaders claim that the actual numbers could be much higher as no Census was taken place in Left Wing Extremism spread across Telangana, AP, MP, Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh.

Considering the numbers and the vastness of the geographical area over which this language is spoken, the fact is that the due standardization of Gondi language didn’t take place like other languages which have undergone a standardisation process and are included in the 8th Schedule of the Constitution.

Five teams consisting of experts and resource persons led by Dr Moti Ravan Kangali, a researcher of Gondi Dharma, are working on the standardization of Gondi dictionary. If the Gondi-Hindi-Telugu dictionary compiled by New Zealand’s Mark Penny is the benchmark, the upcoming work of the CGNet’s dictionary would include the words spoken by the Gondis spread across 14 states numbering around 1.50 crore. More.

See: The Hans India

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