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Gondi has typically been written in Devanagari script or Telugu script, but native scripts are in existence. A Gond by the name of Munshi Mangal Singh Masaram designed a Brahmi-based script in 1918, and in 2006, a native script that dates up to 1750 has been discovered by a group of researchers from the University of Hyderabad.

Nonetheless, most Gonds are unaware of their well developed language and do not use any script now. The Gunjala Gondi Lipi has witnessed a surge in prominence, and well-supported efforts are being undertaken in villages of northern Andhra Pradesh to widen its usage.

Munshi Mangal Singh Masaram script

Masaram Gondi 𑴤𑴫𑴦𑴱𑴤 𑴎𑴽𑵀𑴘𑴳‎
"Masaram Gondi" written in Masaram Gondi script
Script type	Abugida
Time period	1918–present
Direction	Left-to-right
Languages	Gondi
ISO 15924
ISO 15924	Gonm (313), ​Masaram Gondi
Unicode
Unicode alias	Masaram Gondi
Unicode range	U+11D00–U+11D5F Masaram Gondi

In 1918, Munshi Mangal Singh Masaram, a Gond from Balaghat district of Madhya Pradesh, designed a script for Gondi based on Brahmi characters found in other descendant Indian scripts. However, this script is not widely used, even though a few publications have been made available by his followers and supporters.

Unicode

Masaram Gondi script was added to the Unicode Standard in June, 2017 with the release of version 10.0.

The Unicode block for Masaram Gondi is U+11D00–U+11D5F:

Gunjala Gondi Lipi

Gunjala Gondi Lipi
"Gunjala Gondi Lipi" written in Gunjala Gondi script
Script type	Abugida
Time period	c. 1750–present
Direction	Left-to-right
Languages	Gondi
Related scripts
Parent systems	Proto-Sinaitic alphabet Phoenician alphabet Aramaic alphabet Brāhmī Gupta Nāgarī Gunjala Gondi Lipi
ISO 15924
ISO 15924	Gong (312), ​Gunjala Gondi
Unicode
Unicode alias	Gunjala Gondi

This script is the subject of ongoing linguistic and historical research. Discovered manuscripts have been dated up to 1750, and discuss information from as early as the 6th–7th centuries. Much of the information reveals independence initiatives by the Gond Rajas and encounters with the British. Also, the names of the days of the week, the months, the Gond festivals have been discovered in this Gondi script.

Unicode

Gunjala Gondi lipi was added to the Unicode Standard in June, 2018 with the release of version 11.0.

The Unicode block for Gunjala Gondi is U+11D60–U+11DAF:

References

1. Proposal to Encode the Masaram Gondi Script in Unicode
2. Singh, S. Harpal (30 January 2013). "Chance discovery of Gondi script opens new vistas of tribal culture - The Hindu". The Hindu.
3. "Unicode 11.0.0". Unicode Consortium. June 5, 2018. Retrieved June 5, 2018.

External links

• Gondi script

• Writing systems
• Dravidian languages
• Languages of Madhya Pradesh