Girdhari Ram Ghonju
A Ranchi scholar and playwright called a walking encyclopedia of Jharkhand's languages and culture, honoured posthumously with the Padma Shri in 2022.
Giridhari Ram Gaunjhu “Giriraj” was a scholar, writer and theatre worker who taught in the Department of Tribal and Regional Languages at Ranchi University. For the breadth of his knowledge of Jharkhand’s art and culture he was called a “walking encyclopedia”. He was named for the Padma Shri posthumously in 2022 in the field of literature and education, from Jharkhand [1].
A scholar of Jharkhand
Gaunjhu was born on 22 December 1949 at Belwadag in Khunti district [2]. He graduated in Hindi from St Xavier’s College, Ranchi, in 1970, and at Ranchi University took a BEd, an MA in Hindi and a law degree [2]. His 1988 doctorate studied the life and work of the writer Peter Shanti Navrangi [2]. He guided more than 18 doctoral students and taught as a guest lecturer at several universities [2].
Plays, books and broadcasts
He wrote more than 35 books, among them plays such as Akhra Nindaye Gelak and Jharkhand Ka Amrit Putra: Marang Gomke Jaipal Singh, which he also staged [2]. His other works include Dhangar, a collection of Nagpuri stories, and studies of Jharkhand’s folk dances, musical instruments, folk music and cultural heritage [2]. Through radio and television programmes he worked to keep the language, literature and culture of Jharkhand alive [2].
The Jharkhand government gave him the Jharkhand Samman in 2018 [2]. He died on 15 April 2021 [2].
Sources
- [1] Padma Awards 2022: list of awardees — Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. Accessed 24 October 2026.
- [2] Padma Awards 2022: citation for Girdhari Ram Ghonju — Padma Awards, Government of India. Accessed 24 October 2026.
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