Hembram Bakhul at 11:46, 5 July 2021

2021-07-05T11:46:40Z

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{{short description|Indian tribal activist}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2020}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Digamber Hansda
| image = Prof. Digamber Hansda profile (cropped).jpg
| alt = 
| caption = Hansda at the 2018 [[Padma Shri]] ceremony
| birth_name = 
| birth_date = {{death date|1939|10|16|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Ghatshila]], [[East Singhbhum district]], British India
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2020|11|19|1939|10|16|df=y}}
| death_place = [[Jamshedpur]], India
| nationality = Indian
| other_names =
| occupation = Professor
| years_active =
| known_for = Tribal activism
| awards = [[Padma Shri]] (2018)
}}
'''Digamber Hansda''' (16 October 1939{{spnd}}19 November 2020) was an Indian academic and tribal activist who worked for the social and economic advancement of the underprivileged communities in [[West Bengal]], [[Jharkhand]], and [[Odisha]]. He was a founding member of the [[Santali language|Santhal]] [[Sahitya Akademi]] and was considered a pioneer of [[Santali language|Santhali language]] literature.

In 2018, Hansda was awarded the [[Padma Shri]], India's fourth-highest civilian honour, by the [[President of India]] for his work in the field of tribal literature and education.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/jamshedpur/padma-award-has-special-significance-for-me-digamber-hansda/articleshow/62679289.cms|title=Padma award has special significance for me: Digamber Hansda - Times of India|website=The Times of India|access-date=19 December 2018}}</ref>

== Early life ==
Hansda was born in Dobhapani village in [[Ghatshila]], [[East Singhbhum district]] (now in [[Jharkhand]]) on 16 October 1939. His parents were farmers; from a young age, Hansda helped his parents on the farm. He completed his schooling from Rajdoha Middle School and Manpur High School. He obtained a graduate degree in political science from Bihar University (now [[Ranchi University]]) in 1963, and a post graduate degree in political science from the same university in 1965.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=Lending a voice to Santhali|url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/states/jharkhand/lending-a-voice-to-santhali/cid/1625441|access-date=19 December 2018|website=telegraphindia.com|language=en}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{Cite web|last=Desk|first=News|date=19 November 2020|title=Padma Shri Professor Digambar Hansda passes away in Jamshedpur, Santhali scholar to be accorded state funeral today -|url=https://www.avenuemail.in/padma-shri-professor-digambar-hansda-passes-away-in-jamshedpur-santhali-scholar-to-be-accorded-state-funeral-today/|access-date=21 November 2020|website=Avenue Mail {{!}} Jharkhand's Own English Daily|language=en-US}}</ref>

== Career ==
Hansda started his career by working as the secretary of the [[Tisco|TISCO]] Adivasi Co-operative Society in the early 1960s. The organization focused on creating job opportunities for tribals in the region, and administered vocational courses to generate employment opportunities. He later worked with Bharat Sevashram Sangh. In his role with these organizations, he helped set up schools in the rural areas near [[Jamshedpur]], including the RP Patel High School, [[Jugsalai]].<ref name=":0" /> He also helped introduce Santhali and other tribal languages as a medium of instruction in colleges in the region.<ref name=":3" />

Hansda was a pioneer of the [[Santali language|Santhali]] language literature, and a founding member of Santhal [[Sahitya Akademi]]. He developed intermediate, post-graduate and under-graduate courses in the Santhali language under the directive of the state government.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|title=झारखंड: जमशेदपुर के प्रो. दिगंबर हांदसा को मिला पद्मश्री सम्मान|url=https://www.livehindustan.com/jharkhand/jamshedpur/story-prof-digamrsha-of-jamshedpur-to-get-padma-shree-award-1769258.html|access-date=19 December 2018|website=Hindustan Dainik|language=hindi}}</ref><ref name=":0" /> He regularly visited villages across [[Potka (Vidhan Sabha constituency)|Potka]] and [[Ghatshila]] to collect folktales and folksongs from local artists and to compile them to spread awareness of literary works among the tribals.<ref name=":0" /> As a member of the central government's [[Tribal Research Institute and Museum|Tribal Research Institute]], he helped translate academic books from [[Devanagari]] script to Santhali. In 1993, he took part in the successful initiative to have Santhali recognized as an official language in [[Nepal]].<ref name=":0" /> He also translated the [[Constitution of India]] to Santhali language from the [[Devanagari]] script.<ref name=":2" />

Through his career, Hansda worked for the social and economic advancement of the underprivileged, with a focus on alleviating poverty, illiteracy, and social evils across tribal communities in [[Jharkhand]], [[Odisha]], and [[West Bengal]].<ref name=":1" /> He retired as the principal of the [[Lal Bahadur Shastri Memorial College]], Karandih.<ref name=":3" /> As a retired professor, he continued to write columns for newspapers highlighting the plight of the tribal communities.<ref name=":1" />

Hansda held a variety of academic and administrative positions. For instance, he was a member of the management committee of [[IIM Bodh Gaya]], [[Jnanpith Award]] selection committee for Santhali language, Central Institute of Indian Languages, Mysore, and the Santhali Sahitya syllabus committee for the [[Union Public Service Commission|Union Public Service Commission (UPSC)]] and Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC).<ref>{{Cite web|title=भारतीय संविधान को संताली भाषा के ओलचिकी में दिगंबर बाबू ने किया अनुवाद|url=https://www.jagran.com/jharkhand/jamshedpur-death-reaction-of-digamber-hansda-21080380.html|access-date=21 November 2020|website=Dainik Jagran|language=hi}}</ref>

== Honours ==
In 2018, Hansda was awarded the [[Padma Shri]], India's fourth-highest civilian honour, by the [[President of India]], [[Ram Nath Kovind]], for his work in the field of Santhali language literature and education.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/states/jharkhand/padma-winner-on-road-ahead/cid/1361855|title=Padma winner on road ahead|website=telegraphindia.com|language=en|access-date=19 December 2018}}</ref><ref name=":1" /> This was followed by the Lifetime Achievement Award conferred by the [[All India Santali Film Association]] (AISFA).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.avenuemail.in/jamshedpur/prof-digambar-hansda-to-get-lifetime-achievement-award/118036/|title=Prof Digambar Hansda to get Lifetime Achievement Award|date=13 March 2018|website=Avenue Mail|language=en-US|access-date=19 December 2018}}</ref>

== Personal life ==
He was married and had two sons and three daughters.<ref name=":3" />

=== Death ===
He died on 19 November 2020, aged 81, after a long illness at his home in Karandih, [[Jamshedpur]]. His wife and one of his daughters had died before him. The [[Jharkhand State Government]] announced a [[state funeral]] for him.<ref name=":3" />

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

{{Padma Shri Award Recipients in Literature & Education}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hansda, Digamber}}
[[Category:1939 births]]
[[Category:2020 deaths]]
[[Category:Indian activists]]
[[Category:People from Jamshedpur]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Padma Shri in literature & education]]
[[Category:Ranchi University alumni]]
[[Category:Indigenous rights activists]]
[[Category:Santali people]]

Digamber Hansda - Revision history

Hembram Bakhul at 11:46, 5 July 2021