Kasaragod: A Kannada-Malayalam dictionary prepared for the Kerala State Language Institute will be available shortly to language enthusiasts. The 1,650-page dictionary, which translates all Kannada words into Malayalam, was completed by BT Jayaram, a native of Uduma Arattukadavu and retired officer of the state tax department, after 6 years of painstaking work. Each Kannada word’s pronunciation is written in Malayalam script, with meanings presented in a way that is accessible to Malayalis, particularly the people of Kasaragod.

The project involved preparing 3,000 pages of handwritten copy over approximately two years. Kannada words were verified by Dr. Meenakshi Ramachandran of Mangalore, while the Malayalam translations were checked by Prof MA Rahman of Uduma. The integration of both languages was overseen by KV Kumaran, a renowned translator and Kerala Sahitya Akademi awardee, who was also Jayaram’s mentor.

Dr V Karthikeyan Nair, former Director of the Kerala State Language Institute, approached Jayaram after searching for a bilingual expert to create an authoritative reference work to simplify Malayalam spelling for Kannada speakers. Jayaram, who is fluent in both languages, had also served as District Information Officer in Kasaragod during his tenure with the tax department.

Dictionary release

The dictionary will be formally released by Karnataka Tulu Academy President Taranath Gatti Kapikad at a ceremony at the Kasaragod Municipal Conference Hall on August 18 at 2.30 pm. MLA E Chandrasekharan will receive the first copy. The announcement was made at a press conference attended by BT Jayaram, M Rafi, VV Prabhakaran, and Palakunnil Kutty.