The steel major runs about 300 centres across Santhal Pargana to teach tribal culture and languages to the younger generations
It starts like a film-lore when some outsiders come looking for precious materials unaware of the culture, tradition and way of life of the indigenous people in an unknown territory. For many it might have been like loot and go back but for the Tatas, the bond with the ‘Avatars’ is only getting stronger.
The century old company and a true pioneer in many sense for the entire nation has taken the initiatives to preserve the dying language, scripts and sports of the tribal communities of Kolhan, home to the Ho and Santhal tribes. The steel major with over 30,000 tonnes finished product capacity every day and overall Rs 1,48,614 crore annual turnover in 2014, runs about 300 centres across Santhal Pargana to teach tribal culture and languages to the younger generations.
“It is about preserving their own identity and that also in their own way. Community locals have been acting as teachers who are making the children aware of Ho and Santhali scripts besides poetry, folklore, traditional games, dance forms and music. We thought that this is the only way their tradition can be transmitted from one generation to another,” says Biren Bhuta, chief of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) at Tata Steel.
Notably the age-old languages are languishing for the want of a script and have been developed not long ago. But most of the community members are unaware of it which has been hampering a smooth transfer of culture and tradition through generations.
Similarly, the company, having industrial operations spread in Jamshedpur, Jharia, Noamundi and a few other areas of the mineral rich State, has also taken the initiatives to rediscover Santhali musical instruments like ‘Banam’; a violin-like formation.
“As many as 35 pupils at Kardih are learning the instrument made up of lizard’s skin and horse’s hair. A team of musicians had also performed at the SAF Games. We have also worked closely with the late Kalishankar Mali to preserve instrument ‘Tuela’,”
Said Bhuta, who takes care of the Tribal Research Centre at Jamshedpur run by the Tatas.
Treating cultural traits as the soul of any civilization, the CSR division of the company also works for traditional sports forms which are on the verge of extinction. ‘Kati’ was extremely popular among ‘Ho’ but is dying among the younger generations. “We organise local level competitions for younger generations. Very recently a big competition of ‘Sekor’ was organised in which 100 teams from West Singhbhum, Purulia and Mayurbhanj participated,” said Ashish Kumar, head of Corporate Communications.
The infusion is especially important considering the operations of the company which is juxtaposed with heavily Naxal infested areas marked as ‘red corridor’ and often dubbed as hotbed of extreme poverty and deprivation.
“It is the uniqueness of the company that a major part of the earnings of the holding company TATA Sons goes to small and medium NGOs working for education, health, malnutrition in the poorest areas of the country. The amount comes around Rs 500 crore annually,” added Bhuta.
Efforts in the field of health have resulted in achieving 27 per cent reduction in neonatal deaths where the company is conducting its CSR programmes. Recently, the State Government had also approached it to cover the entire Saraikela district and the company is also contemplating to set up a centre at Ranchi to cover the entire State in its final stage.
A transport nagar is also in place to save truckers from AIDS with the help of NACO. It is also building residential schools for 250 children of primitive tribes Birhore and Sabar at Saraikela, Hazaribagh and Chaibasa.
The path-breaking steps are in sync with excellence the company has clocked in steel production. Its latest blast furnace out of the six operational at present uses the best available technology which emits least amount of effluents into the environment. “We are striving for the best blend of excellence with tradition. The journey started in 1907 continues,” summarises Bhuta.