Belthangady: What was Tulunadu on the west (Karnataka)  coast from Barkur to Kanhangad at one time in history, has lost both Udupi and Kasaragod districts, and is restricted to 5 taluks of Dakshina Kannada district now.
What was Tulu among 5 Dravidian languages, has remained neglected as a language without its script (adapted by Kerala as its own script) and has no place in the 8th schedule of recognized 25 to 30 languages of India under the Indian Constitution, and remained only an optional (3rd) language in DK district schools at present. But the Tuluvas have not given up their passion to install Tulu as a recongnised language of India, with Yakshagana, dramas, epic poems and agricultural lands to back this ancient language whose people worship spirits and hold buffalo races in wetlands today.
At Dharmasthala, a large rally was held on Thursday, April 14th of Tulu people’s representatives headed by Dr. D. Virendra Heggade and several other dignitaries who drew up the lines of a fresh struggle for recognition of Tulu and seek Central acceptance for Tulu culture, with Karnataka MPs assisting the effort in New Delhi, with World Tulu Conference resolutions backing it.
Way back in 1999, a Central Govt Committee headed by Seethakantha Mohapatra had recommended Tulu along with dialects like Bodo, Mythili, Santhali and Dogri, but it was astonishing to see that Tulu was excluded while other 4 dialects were recognized under 8th schedule by the Govt. of India then. This insult to Tulu people has never been eradicated by state MPs.
Tuluvas all over the world are counted at more than a crore of people, mostly on the coastal belt of Karnataka and Kerala. People in these areas know Tulu well, although not born as Tuluvas. Tulu as a 3rd language upto 10th standard is taught in local high schools in Kasargod, DK and Udupi districts.

The software Tulu script has been created. Tulu is used in Kuppam (south Indian) University for PhD courses. Karnataka has a Tulu (literary) Academy in Mangalore. Tulu is used in Radio and 2 TV channels for news and other programmes in the port city of Mangalore (which is projected as capital of Tulunadu at present).

A 6 volume Tulu language dictionary has been published, stated Dr. D.Veerendra Heggade in his address to the gathering in Dharmasthala of Belthangady taluk here on Thursday. Several local; Tulu leaders, ministers, MPs, MLAs, and scholars were present