Pillars of Tamil Literary History: Scholarly Works
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1. Historical Research and Literary Criticism
- Dr. M. Rajamanickanar: Known for his profound work on 'Chronological Research' (Kala Aaratchi) and the history of Tamil literature.
- T.V. Sadasiva Pandarathar: A key historian who documented the 'History of Pandyas' and contributed significantly to Tamil literary history.
- K.S. Srinivasa Pillai: Authored the comprehensive work 'Tamil Varalaru', which chronicles the historical path of the Tamil language.
- S. Vaiyapuri Pillai: A meticulous scholar who specialized in chronological studies and authored the history of Tamil literature through scientific research.
2. Linguistics and Foreign Contributions
- Dr. Caldwell: Famous for his seminal work, 'A Comparative Grammar of the Dravidian Family of Languages', which established the uniqueness of the Dravidian family.
- G.U. Pope: Known for his introductions to 'Naladiyar' and English translations of sacred Tamil texts like 'Thiruvasagam'.
- K.A. Nilakanta Sastri: A world-renowned historian who authored 'A History of South India' and detailed accounts of 'The Cholas'.
- Dr. M. Varadarajan: Contributed extensively through works like 'Tamil Ilakkia Varalaru' and ethical interpretations of Thirukkural.
3. Specialized Studies and Cultural Records
- M. Arunachalam Pillai: Conducted deep research on 'Mukkoodarpallu' and documented the history of 16th-century Tamil poets.
- Mayilai Seeni. Venkatasamy: Explored the intersection of religion and language in works like 'Christianity and Tamil' and 'Jainism and Tamil'.
- P. Sambanda Mudaliar: A pioneer who documented the history and development of 'Drama Tamil' (Nadaga Tamil).
- Xavier S. Thaninayagam: Founder of the journal 'Tamil Culture', which brought Tamil academic studies to an international audience.
Source Note
This compilation is based on the Bibliography of Tamil Literary History (Pages 8-11) provided in the reference document.