India, Feb. 23 -- The decline of tribal dialects in Maharashtra has been a growing concern with lack of proficient teachers and extensive use of Marathi contributing to the problem. However, amidst this linguistic erosion, Rushikesh Khilare, a 37-year-old researcher from Beed, has emerged as a bridge between the past and the future. Over the past decade, he has compiled seven volumes of dictionaries, documenting approximately 1.5 lakh words from 15 tribal dialects. His work aims to preserve these languages and improve education outcomes for tribal students who often struggle in schools due to the language barrier.

Language barrier in tribal education

Maharashtra's tribal population is spread across six major districts, with 49 dialects ...