Self-taught Jharkhand developer builds dictionary app to keep Ho language alive – ‘Language is one of the biggest markers of our identity

In 2017, app developer Krishna Diggi of the Ho tribe in Chaibasa in Jharkhand’s Kolhan region wanted to create something meaningful with his skills. A self-taught developer, he aimed to build something that would be both accessible and help preserve and perpetuate the indigenous language.

That’s how the Ho mobile dictionary was born. “Many people from our community are studying or working in cities like Bengaluru or other places. They don’t always get the environment to speak the language there,” the 33-year-old tells The Indian Express. “The idea is to ensure the language remains relevant in an increasingly digital world.”

Last week, Diggi, who now runs a small IT services startup called Ipil Innovation, launched a new version with more than 10,000 words to make it fully usable in daily life. While the primary audience for the app are young Ho speakers living outside their homeland, Krishna also hopes the tool will encourage non-Ho speakers — including researchers and language enthusiasts — to learn more about the language and its structure.

Among these users is Dobro Biruly, a Ho writer and language activist based in Chaibasa, who believes such digital tools mark an important step in bringing indigenous languages into the modern technological space. This is particularly significant since the Ho script, Warang Chiti, received international recognition after being included in the Unicode Standard in 2014 — meaning it can be used in modern digital environments alongside other major languages.

“Today the world is moving into the digital space, and our languages also need to find their place there,” Biruly says. “When young people from the community build tools like a digital dictionary, it helps strengthen both language learning and cultural identity.”

Dildar Purty, an assistant professor who teaches the Ho language at Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee University in Ranchi, agrees, saying digital tools play a crucial role in language preservation, especially among younger generations.

“Young people today spend far more time on their mobile phones than with books. In this digital age, reaching learners through technology can sometimes be more effective than traditional printed materials,” Purty says.

Keeping identity alive

Ho is part of the Austroasiatic language family, which includes Vietnamese, Khmer and Santhali. Closely related to Mundari, it is also spoken in parts of West Bengal, apart from Odisha and Jharkhand. In 2011, it received ‘second official language’ status in Jharkhand.

According to the 2011 Census, Ho has 14.21 lakh speakers, with over 9 lakh in Jharkhand alone.

The first version of the project was a simple desktop software for personal computers.

“Most of the work has been done voluntarily by a small team of contributors, including academics and language experts. The main investment has been time,” he says.

But as smartphone use grew rapidly, Krishna and a small group of collaborators decided to shift focus to a mobile application. After working on it gradually for several years, often alongside other professional commitments, the group released the first version on the Google Play Store in 2021.

The app functions primarily as a trilingual dictionary, allowing users to search for words in English, Hindi and Ho. It also provides translations and example sentences and includes words written in Warang Chiti, a script developed specifically for the language.

Beyond language learning, Krishna sees digital tools as a way to address a long-standing challenge faced by many indigenous languages: that of accessibility. Traditionally, dictionaries and learning materials have been produced in print, a process that can be expensive and difficult to distribute widely. “If someone publishes a book, the cost is high and the reach is limited. But if we create digital tools, people anywhere in the world can access them,” he said.

But the dictionary plays another vital role: it helps preserve the Ho identity, especially in an era when English and Hindi dominate digital spaces. “Language is one of the biggest markers of our identity.”

Writer Biruly agrees. “For languages that are still struggling for wider recognition, even a small step like an app can be significant,” Biruly says. “It shows that the community itself is taking initiative to preserve and develop the language.”

Meanwhile, Krishna hopes digital tools such as an online dictionary will help gain wider recognition for the language, and even help its inclusion in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution of India, which currently recognises 22 languages.

“We have currently approximately 10,000 downloads after the upgrade. If one day the app reaches one lakh downloads, it will show how many people are actively interested in learning and using the language,” he says. “That kind of data can also demonstrate its relevance.”

Krishna now hopes to expand the app’s vocabulary and add translation tools. He also plans to allow users to suggest new words that can be reviewed by language experts and incorporated into future updates.

For him, the goal remains simple: ensuring the Ho language continues to evolve alongside modern technology. “Today’s generation is on the internet,” he said. “If our language does not enter the digital world, it will slowly disappear. We have to bring it there.”

Shubham Tigga is a Correspondent at The Indian Express, presently based in Pune, where he covers the intersections of infrastructure, labor, and the modern economy. His reporting focuses on civil aviation, urban mobility, the gig economy, and workers' unions, providing critical insights into how transit and commercial sectors impact the daily lives of citizens. Expertise & Background Before moving to Pune, he reported extensively from his home state of Chhattisgarh, where he focused on Indigenous (Adivasi) issues, environmental justice, and grassroots struggles in mainland India. This experience gives him a unique lens through which he analyzes the impact of large-scale infrastructure projects on local communities. Academic Foundation He is an alumnus of the prestigious Asian College of Journalism (ACJ), where he honed his skills in investigative reporting and ethical journalism. His academic training, combined with his field experience in Central India, allows him to navigate complex socio-economic landscapes with nuance and accuracy. You can reach out to him on LinkedIn ... Read More

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