TestCloud
Prep • Practice • Perform
Log In

Njattelya Sreedharan, Self-Taught Linguist and Dictionary Creator,Passed Away.

Obituary | Dated: 16 Aug 2025

On August 13, 2025, renowned self-taught linguist Njattelya Sreedharan passed away at the age of 87 in Kannur, Kerala. Born in 1938 in Thalassery, Kerala, he was celebrated for compiling the landmark 860-page Chathur Dravida Bhasha Padhaparichayam, a dictionary uniting four Dravidian languages.

🎯 Key Highlights:

  • - Njattelya Sreedharan, without any formal linguistic training, dedicated over 25 years to lexicography. His magnum opus connected Malayalam, Kannada, Tamil, and Telugu, marking a rare contribution to Dravidian linguistic heritage.
  • - His career began as a blueprinting staffer in the Kerala Public Works Department (PWD) and later the Irrigation Department, before retiring in 1994. Post-retirement, he fully devoted himself to his dictionary project.
  • - The Chathur Dravida Bhasha Padhaparichayam was first published in November 2020 by the Kerala Bhasha Institute. The first edition contained 500 copies priced at ₹4,000 each, which sold out quickly.

💡 Other Important Facts:

  • (i) A revised and expanded second edition was released in May 2023 by the Kerala Language Institute, strengthening his legacy as a key figure in modern lexicography.
  • (ii) Apart from lexicography, he played a leadership role as Kannur Taluk President of the Purogamana Kala Sahitya Sangham (Progressive Arts and Literary Association) and was also a State Council member of the NGO Union.
  • (iii) His life and dedication were documented in the award-winning film Dreaming of Words, directed by Nandan, which received the 2021 National Film Award – Special Jury Mention. He was also honored with recognitions like the Dr. T.P. Sukumaran Master Award and the Dr. Hermann Gundert Award.

📚 Test Your Knowledge:

Who was the self-taught linguist and dictionary creator who recently passed away?

Correct Answer: Njattelya Sreedharan

🚀 Quick Recap: