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Which tribal language families are spoken by communities in Odisha?
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Odisha
Jagannatha temple, Puri, Odisha, India.
The tribal peoples of Odisha are categorized into three primary linguistic groups:
- Austroasiatic: Speakers of Munda languages, which include communities such as the Santhal, Savara, and Juang.1
- Dravidian: Speakers of various Dravidian languages, most notably the Khond, Gond, and Oraon (Kurukh) peoples.1
- Indo-Aryan: Speakers of Odia, which is the official language of the state. While some groups like the Bhuiyan speak Odia, it has also been widely adopted by many other tribal communities as their primary language by the early 21st century.1