Epigraphs to be digitised by the Tamil University

Source: Deccan Herald, June 2nd, 2009
http://www.deccanchronicle.com/city/epigraphs-be-digitised-585

Thanjavur, June 1, 2009
The Tamil University will undertake the digitisation of about 1.20 lakh
epigraphs in various languages, including 60,000 Tamil epigraphs preserved by
the epigraph division of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) in Mysore.

Tamil University vice-chancellor, Dr M. Rajendran, held discussions with ASI
epigraph division director T. S. Ravishankar and deputy superintendent S.
Swaminathan at the varsity on Monday.

Later, talking to reporters, Dr Rajendran said the university initially
approached the ASI epigraph division to digitise the 60,000 Tamil epigraphs
persevered by the agency but the ASI requested it to take up the digitisation of
about 1.20 lakh epigraphs in various languages, including Tamil, Sanskrit,
Telugu and Kannada, preserved by it.

“The Tamil University will also launch a collection of Tamil manuscripts from
June 3, the birthday of chief minister M. Karunanidhi. According to the
statistics provided by the National Mission for Manuscripts, there are 5,48,134
manuscripts available with various persons in the 30 districts of Tamil Nadu. To
begin with, Tamil University will collect the manuscripts available in Thanjavur
district,” Dr Rajendran said. The university is also ready to pay Rs 2 per
manuscript. Even if the people are reluctant to part with the manuscripts, we
will just copy them, he added.

On June 5, a seminar for Singapore and Malaysian writers will be held here. A
delegation of 55 Tamil scholars will take part in it. On June 6, Karikalan
Awards will be presented to Singapore writer Murugadiyan and Malaysian writer P.
Chandrakantham.