A new milestone for Tulu language… Script added to Unicode! 

Team Udayavani, Sep 9, 2024, 10:27 AM IST

Representative image

Mangaluru: While the government has yet to grant official language status to Tulu under the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution, the inclusion of the Tulu script in Unicode marks a significant milestone for the language.

Yes, Tulu has now been included in Unicode version 16, with a total of 80 characters added. Following the availability of Tulu on platforms like Wikipedia and Google Translate, the inclusion of the Tulu script in Unicode brings new opportunities for the Tulu-speaking community.

The availability of Tulu in Unicode will enable various technological advancements, such as natural language processing, text-to-speech, speech-to-text, and artificial intelligence applications. The existing English-to-Tulu translation option on Google is expected to pave the way for further developments.

Tulu Wikipedia was launched on August 6, 2016. Recognizing the need for Unicode, the Tulu Sahitya Academy formed a committee in 2017 to finalize the Tulu characters. Under the guidance of technology expert Dr. U.B. Pavanaja, a list of Tulu characters was prepared and submitted to Unicode. The proposal also included a separate submission for the “Tigalari” script, and eventually, both Tulu and Tigalari were accepted under the name “Tulu-Tigalari.”

Pavanaja, who played a key role in the inclusion, mentioned, “Back in 2001, I had helped rectify Kannada in Unicode and had also requested that Tulu be included. They had reserved space for Tulu and asked for the script details, which we later submitted.”

There are some minor differences between the list sent by the Tulu Academy and the final Unicode list, but most characters have been included. However, one key vowel and Tulu numerals have been left out. Certain Sanskrit-related symbols, like danda and udatta, have been added, which are not essential for Tulu but are required to write Sanskrit verses in the Tulu script.

A Dream Realized After Years of Effort

The recognition of the Tulu script in Unicode is the fulfillment of a long-standing dream for the Karnataka Tulu Sahitya Academy and the Tulu-speaking community, said Tulu Academy President Taranath Gatti Kapikad.

Several experts worked tirelessly towards this achievement, including K.P. Rao, U.B. Pavanaja, Vaishnavi Murthy, S.A. Krishnaiah, Radhakrishna Belluru, Bhaskar Sherigar, and S.R. Vignaraj, among others.

“The next steps involve developing OpenType fonts incorporating the Unicode Tulu characters, creating keyboard software to input text in Tulu, and converting existing Tulu content in Kannada script to the new Unicode format,” said Dr. U.B. Pavanaja.