Mangalore : U.P Upadhyaya Editor of Tulu dictionary released the Unicode version of Tulu script at Karnataka Tulu Sahitya Academy office on September 16, Monday.

Speaking on the occasion, K.P. Rao who prepared the software for Tulu script said that, Tulu is the language spoken by at least 35 lakh people of coastal districts of Udupi, Dakshina Kannada and Kasargod.

This Unicode will help the language to get a milestone towards the inclusion in the Eighth Schedule of the constitution.

Presently, majority of the Tulu works are written in Kannada since the Tulu script has not being taught nor used by common people. The Tulu as well as Malayalam scripts were almost similar.

Dr. Radhakrishna said that preparing Unicode software was important since large number of people come out with tulu works using different scripts. Hence the academy constituted a committee headed by him along with Venkataraja Punanchittaya and S.A. Krishnaiah.

Academy chairperson Janaki Brahmavar was present on the occasion.