Being Volume II of the Series: International Encyclopaedia of Indian Literature (Vol. I dealing with the literatures of Sanskrit, Pali, Prakrit & Apabhramsa, 19897), the Present Tamil work offers articles on all important poets, dramatists, fiction writers, essayists and critics and their important works from the Sangam Age down to the present times. As there are sizable number of Tamil speaking people in Sri Lanka, there are articles on creative writers and scholars of that country also. Tamil literature has been studied by foreign scholars for centuries and accordingly there are articles on such important scholars of the world. The entries are arranged alphabetically. Generally articles on Indian writers go with their Christian names but there are cross-references under their surnames. This would enable one to locate the writers easily. The articles have been compiled by an eminent scholar, Prof. C. Jesudasan. Retired Professor of Tamil, University College, Trivandrum and edited by Dr, Ganga Ram Garg, the Editor of International Encyclopaedia of Indian Literature Series. For non-Tamil readers and for those who want to have a bird’s eye-view of Tamil literature. Professor Jesudasan hs prepared a Survey, which has been placed in the Beginning of the volume. The first work of its kind in English about Tamil literature. It should serve the purpose of a handy reference tool. It is a must for the libraries of colleges, universities, institutes, academies and for scholars. IT should prove quite useful where Tamil is studied but also where there is a comparative study of modern Indian languages. It also serves the purpose of those non-Tamil scholars, who happen to come across names of Tamil writers and their works. Since Tamil forms a language of the Dravidian group, the Encyclopaedia should attract special attention in South India.
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