Runa Laila Inspires Lost Language Revival

In the remote village of Totopara, near the Bhutan border in West Bengal, resides one of India’s most ancient and endangered tribal communities—the Toto people. Though their language has survived orally for generations, it lacked a written script, placing it at risk of gradual extinction. Surprisingly, the inspiration to create a script for this language came from a song sung by the celebrated Bangladeshi singer Runa Laila. Nearly four decades ago, her song “Tumi Ami Likhi Praner Bornomala” (“You and I Write the Alphabet of Life”) contained a line that profoundly impacted one member of this indigenous community, ultimately changing the course of the Toto language’s preservation.

The language of the Toto people, spoken primarily in Alipurduar district’s Totopara, had long existed only in oral form. A few years ago, Dhaniram Toto, recognising the urgent need for preservation, embarked on a mission to develop a unique alphabet for his community. His efforts culminated in the creation of the “Toto-Harf” or “Totiko Allabet”, which is now gaining acceptance among the community.

For his contribution to language and cultural preservation, the Indian government honoured Dhaniram Toto with the Padma Shri award, one of India’s highest civilian recognitions. Few, however, know that the spark behind this initiative came from a song. In an interview, Dhaniram revealed, “I was listening to Runa Laila on the radio when I heard ‘Tumi Ami Likhi Praner Bornomala’. That line stayed with me. If other languages have their own scripts, why not Toto?” This simple question triggered years of research, study, and dedication.

Local enthusiasts of the language also began documenting it using the Bengali script, compiling vocabulary, writing stories, and introducing the language in early education programmes. Despite these efforts, challenges remain: small population size, external cultural influences, and modern educational pressures make preservation difficult. Nevertheless, the Toto community is determined to engage younger generations in sustaining their linguistic heritage.

Runa Laila, returning to Bangladesh on 5 March after spending two months in the United States with her daughter and grandchildren, was informed about this remarkable story. She responded with heartfelt reflection, stating, “A song is not just entertainment—it can deeply influence hearts and minds. Every song carries a message. That one of my songs reached an endangered community and inspired them is truly incredible. It shows the immense power of music.”

Recalling the creation of the song, she said it was penned by poet Shamsur Rahman and composed by Khandakar Nurul Alam. She recorded it at the Shahbagh radio station for Bangladesh Betar and later performed it on Bangladesh Television. Reflecting on its enduring impact, Runa Laila said, “A song over 45 years old has inspired a nearly lost tribal language to create its own alphabet. That is truly astonishing. My voice, the melody, and the words have contributed to giving new life to an endangered people—it is immensely gratifying.”

This story exemplifies the transformative power of music—not only as entertainment but as a catalyst for cultural preservation and human inspiration.