Damayanti Besra

Damayanti Beshra receiving Padma Shri award from Ex President of India Ram Nath Kovind

Damayanti Beshra is a Santali author and Adivasi researcher. She is known for literature of Santali language. In 2020, she was honoured by Padma Shri for her remarkable contribution to Santali literature.

Quotes

• "Language is our identity, and literature is the expression of our collective consciousness. We should never think of ourselves as a small or weak people. We, the Adivasis, are the original inhabitants of this country. It is from us that the world has learnt everything. Our language, culture, and civilization are the oldest on this earth."
• Original quote was translated from Hindi language: "भाषा हमारी पहचान है और साहित्य हमारी सामुदायिक चेतना की अभिव्यक्ति है। हमें कभी भी नहीं सोचना चाहिए कि हम छोटे या कमजोर लोग हैं। हम आदिवासी ही देश के मूल निवासी हैं। हमसे ही बाकी दुनिया ने सब कुछ सीखा है। हमारी भाषा, संस्कृति और सभ्यता इस धरती पर सबसे पुरानी है।"