Chennai, 19 February, 2026: Karur Vysya Bank (KVB), in partnership with the University of Madras, has inaugurated the Indigenous & Endangered Languages Laboratory (IELLAB) on the University campus. Established under the Bank’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme, the facility is South India’s first dedicated laboratory focused on the documentation, preservation, and academic study of indigenous and endangered languages.
The IELLAB was inaugurated by Mr. B. Ramesh Babu, Managing Director & CEO, Karur Vysya Bank. The laboratory has been implemented through CSR support from Karur Vysya Bank in collaboration with the registered non-profit partner, Gabo Alliance Foundation.
The Indigenous & Endangered Languages Laboratory has been conceived as a technology-enabled research and documentation centre. It will focus on audio-visual archiving of languages, oral histories, folklore, rituals, and cultural practices. The facility will also support structured linguistic research, academic publications, and interdisciplinary collaboration.
A key component of the initiative is community engagement. Indigenous elders, scholars, students, and researchers will work together to ensure inter-generational knowledge transfer and the continuity of cultural traditions.
In its initial phase, the laboratory will prioritise documentation and study of indigenous and endangered languages such as Soliga, Kota, Toda, Irula, and Badaga—languages rooted in the cultural landscape of Southern India and currently at varying levels of vulnerability.
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.”
The inauguration event was attended 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 Women Studies; and Professor Suthanthiran from the Department of Biochemistry, University of Madras, along with research scholars, students, and faculty members.
Through the IELLAB, Karur Vysya Bank and the University of Madras aim to create a sustainable institutional model for safeguarding India’s linguistic diversity while strengthening academic research and cultural preservation efforts.
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