The Kurukh Banna script was invented by Basudev Ram Khalkho in the Indian state of Odisha around 1991 to write the Kurukh language. Kurukh is widely spoken by Oraon Tribal Community, mainly in India but also in Bangladesh and Bhutan. At present this script is being used by Oraon people in Odisha state and, to a lesser degree, Chhattisgarh, Bengal, Jharkhand and Assam.
In the Sundargarh district of Odisha, Kurukh Banna script is being taught and promoted by Kurukh Parha, a traditional and customary institution of Oraon tribal community in Odisha. To help with this, a font has been developed for the Kurukh Banna script. Since then the community has started using it in books, magazines, and wedding cards.
Before the computer font was created, the villagers of Sundargarh, Odisha, were using the letters of this script in wall paintings in their traditional art practices.
Basudev Ram Khalkho has reportedly created more than 300 different font designs for the script, but as yet it has not been proposed for inclusion in Unicode.
We are well aware our information on this script is threadbare and quite likely out of date. We would love to hear from anyone who has accurate first-hand information that would help us update this profile.
20.2376° N, 84.2700° E
Teaching videos:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mH1TSXIGCvg
Alphabet chart:
https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=370153911306953&set=a.100870351568645
