Chennai, Feb 18th: Karur Vysya Bank (KVB), in partnership with the University of Madras, recently inaugurated the Indigenous & Endangered Languages Laboratory (IELLAB) on the University campus. The facility, supported under the Bank’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme, is South India’s first dedicated laboratory focused on the documentation, preservation, and academic study of indigenous and endangered languages. Mr. B. Ramesh Babu, Managing Director & CEO, Karur Vysya Bank inaugurated the IELLAB.
The Laboratory has been established with CSR support from Karur Vysya Bank and has been implemented through a registered non-profit partner Gabo Alliance Foundation.
Preserving Linguistic Heritage through Research, Technology and Community Engagement
The IELLAB has been envisioned as a state-of-the-art research and documentation facility that combines academic rigour with technology-enabled preservation. The Lab will focus on audio-visual archiving of languages, oral histories, folklore, rituals, and cultural practices, while also enabling structured linguistic research and publications.
A strong emphasis will be placed on community engagement, with indigenous elders, scholars, and students collaborating to ensure inter-generational knowledge transfer and continuity of living cultural traditions.
In its initial phase, the Lab will focus on the documentation and study of indigenous and endangered languages including Soliga, Kota, Toda, Irula, and Badaga, which are deeply rooted in the cultural landscapes of Southern India and are at varying levels of vulnerability.
Speaking on the occasion, B. Ramesh Babu, Managing Director & CEO, Karur Vysya Bank, said: “At Karur Vysya Bank, we believe that a nation’s true wealth lies in its cultural and intellectual heritage. Supporting the Indigenous & Endangered Languages Lab is a reflection of our commitment to preserving voices, knowledge systems, and traditions that form the foundation of India’s diversity. Through this partnership with the University of Madras, we are proud to support an initiative that combines academic excellence with long-term societal impact.”
Dr. Susaimanickam Armstrong, Professor and Head, Centre for Endangered Languages, University of Madras, said: “The establishment of the IELLAB marks a significant moment for linguistic scholarship in South India. This Lab provides a dedicated institutional space for systematic research, documentation, and community-led preservation of endangered languages. The support extended by Karur Vysya Bank enables us to strengthen academic work while ensuring that indigenous knowledge systems are recorded, respected, and sustained for future generations.”
Through the IELLAB, Karur Vysya Bank and the University of Madras aim to contribute meaningfully to cultural preservation, academic research, and education, while creating a sustainable model for safeguarding India’s linguistic diversity.
The inauguration event was also graced by Mr. A. V. M. K. Shanmugam, Secretary, Avichi College of Arts and Science and Managing Director, AVM Productions (P) Ltd, Professor M Srinivasan, Head of The Social Work and Criminology Department, Dr. Supala Pandiarajan, Head of the Department of Woman Studies and Professor Suthanthiran from Department of Biochemistry, University of Madras. Research scholars, students and faculty were part of this memorable event.
