A pandit in Gunjala Koyatoor script and the Gondi language, and one of the four who could speak and write these, Atram Kamalabai (95), died on Wednesday morning after a short span of illness.

Kamalabai, a resident of Gunjala village in Narnoor Mandal, Adilabad district, was proficient in tribal Gond script and language. She was one among the last four veterans who could read and write in Gunjala Koyatoor script and Gondi. She was educated in Gondi language 90 years ago, and was the single woman representing that generation, the other three being men.

“She was literate even before the efforts of preparing books in Gondi by Heiman Dorf in the 1940s. Kamalabai’s demise is painful,” Prof. Jayadhir Tirumala Rao, president, Gunjala Koyaloor Lipi Adhyana Vedika, said.

Kamalabai is recognised as the first generation woman who was well versed in that script after Pendore Lingoji and Kumra Gangoji presevered the manuscripts in their hand writing a 100 years ago in Gunjala and adjacent villages.

Kamalabai learnt her language from available manuscripts in Gondi. She was well-versed in the history of Gonds, stories related to them and household needs. She encouraged her children, grand children and great grand children to learn the language. She cherished to look at more books in Gondi script.

“In the remote area, where educating women could not even be given a thought, Kamalabai was educated in her language. Her death denotes closure of an important chapter,” said Prof. V. Krishna and Prof. R.S. Sarraju from Centre for Dalit and Adivasi Studies and Translation, University of Hyderabad.