Dhaniram Toto
Dhaniram Toto | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1964 (age 61–62) Totopara, Madarihat-Birpara CD Block, Alipurduar district, West Bengal, India |
| Occupations | Government employee, writer, language activist |
| Notable work | Dhanua Toto Kathamala Dumra Thirte Dhanua Nadir Tire Uttal Torsa |
| Spouse | Champa Toto |
| Children | Sanjay Toto, Ranjay Toto, Dhananjay Toto, and one daughter |
| Parent(s) | Amepa Toto (father) Lakshmini Toto (mother) |
| Awards | Padma Shri |
Dhaniram Toto (born 1964) is an Indian writer, language activist and government employee from the Toto community of West Bengal. He is known for developing the script of the endangered Toto language and for his literary contributions in the language. In 2023, he was awarded the Padma Shri, India’s fourth-highest civilian award, in the field of Literature and Education.[1][2]
Early life and education
Dhaniram Toto was born in Totopara village under the Madarihat-Birpara Community Development Block of Alipurduar district, West Bengal. He is the middle son of Amepa Toto and Lakshmini Toto. His father served as the last traditional head of the Toto community’s indigenous council.
He studied up to Class X but could not continue regular education following the death of his father in 1976. He later completed his secondary education through the West Bengal Rabindra Mukta Vidyalaya Parishad.[3] He subsequently joined the Backward Classes Welfare and Tribal Development Department of the Government of West Bengal and was later promoted to an official post.[4]
Literary career
Toto has written poetry, novels and essays in the Toto language. His notable works include:
- Uttal Torsa and Dhanua Toto Kathamala [5]
Creation of the Toto script
Although the Toto language belongs to the Sino-Tibetan family, it historically lacked an independent script and was written using the Bengali script. In 2005, Dhaniram Toto began efforts to develop a distinct writing system for the language.
He collaborated with Australian linguist Toby Anderson during the process. After nearly a decade of research and experimentation, the Toto script was formally introduced on 22 May 2015. The script consists of 22 consonants, 9 vowels and 6 diphthongs, totalling 37 characters.[6]
The script has received international recognition, including registration under ISO 15924 (Code: Toto/294). His work is regarded as a significant step in safeguarding the linguistic identity of the Toto community.[7]
Awards
- Padma Shri in Literature and Education (2023) [8]
See also
References
- ^ "Fight to save dying Toto language: Dhaniram Toto gets Padma Award". The Indian Express. Retrieved 19 March 2023.
- ^ "Padma Awards 2023 announced". Press Information Bureau, Government of India. Retrieved 27 January 2023.
- ^ Bharat, E. T. V. (2024-02-20). "Padma Shri Awardee Dhaniram Toto to Prepare 7-Generation Family Tree of Totos". ETV Bharat News. Retrieved 2026-02-13.
- ^ Tribal, The Indian (2023-02-08). "Padma Shri Dhaniram, His Will Paved The Way". The Indian Tribal. Retrieved 2026-02-13.
- ^ Ghosh, Bishwanath (28 September 2023). "A dictionary to save a language from extinction". The Hindu. Retrieved 14 February 2026.
- ^ Dasgupta, Debarshi (25 October 2023). "One letter at a time – Toto tribal community in eastern India strives to protect its language". The Straits Times. Retrieved 14 February 2026.
- ^ Chakraborty, Hritwick; Saha, Sajal; Guha, Ambalika; Ballav, Debanjan; Mitra, Soumi (6 September 2025). "Integrating Linguistics and AI: Morphological Analysis and Corpus development of Endangered Toto Language of West Bengal". arXiv. 9 (06). Adamas University: 23. ISSN 2096-4366 – via arXiv.
- ^ Chowdhury, Santanu (28 January 2023). "Padma Shri comes as recognition to Toto people: Dhaniram". The Indian Express. Retrieved 14 February 2026.