Njattyela Sreedharan

Njattyela Sreedharan^[3][4] (Malayalam: ഞാറ്റ്യേല ശ്രീധരന്‍; 20 December 1938 – 13 August 2025) was an Indian lexicographer^[5] from Thalassery^[6] in Kerala. He is known for compiling a dictionary connecting four major Dravidian languages Malayalam, Kannada, Tamil and Telugu.^[7][8]

Njattyela Sreedharan
His movie poster with him.
Born	(1938-12-20)20 December 1938 Thalassery, Madras Province, British India
Died	13 August 2025(2025-08-13) (aged 86) Thalassery, Kerala, India
Occupation	Lexicographer[1][2]
Spouse	Yashoda

Background

Sreedharan was born in Thalassery, Madras Province, British India on 20 December 1938.^[9][10] He died at his residence on 13 August 2025, at the age of 86.^[11][12][13]

Selected books

• Malayalam-Tamil Dictionary (2012)^[14]
• Chathur Dravida Bhasha Nighandu (Dictionary of Four Dravidian Languages) (2020)^[15][16]
• Chathur Dravida Bhasha Padaparichayam (Published by Kerala Bhasha Institute) (2023)^[17]
• Ormakalude Thirayattam (Autobiography) (2024)^[18]

In popular culture

The 2021 documentary Dreaming of Words,^[19][20][21] directed by Nandan,^[22][23][24] celebrates the life and work of Njattyela Sreedharan.^[25] Dreaming of Words has received numerous accolades including a National Film Award and was screened at the annual convention of the Modern Language Association^[26] and the annual conference of the Linguistic Society of America^[27] in January 2022.

Major awards

• Dr. Hermann Gundert Award for the best dictionary (2022) instituted by Dravidian Linguistics Association^[28][29]
• Special Jury Award at the 5th India Reading Olympiad (2023), organised by the Food4Thought Foundation, which was presented during the 13th Hyderabad Literary Festival.^[30]

See also

• Multilingualism
• Sreekanteswaram Padmanabha Pillai
• Dreaming of Words