Dravidian University, Kuppam

Among the world’s language families the Dravidian family of languages enjoys a special place of distinction with an ancient origin and a continuation of a greater civilization. The Dravidian family of languages comprises 27 languages spread across the entire India and Beluchistan. All of them have contributed to the oneness of the rich mosaic of Indian culture. The major languages are; Telugu, Tamil, Kannada and Malayalam. e and abroad in these ancient languages and to promote a greater sense of fraternity and spirit of integration among the speakers of the major Dravidian languages in the South the Government of Andhra Pradesh has benevolently come forward to establish Dravidian University through a Legislative Act in October 1997 involving the support of the other Southern States, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala. It is located at a trilingual junction at Kuppam, Chittor Dstrict in the South-Western tip of A.P, which is only 4 kms away from Karnataka, 8 kms from Tamil Nadu and of course very close to Kerala border, which is less than 4.5 hrs drive. The principle objective of the establishment of the Dravidian University is to promote integrated studies on the common heritage of the Dravidian speakers facilitating a strong perception of oneness among them.

Every language is a clean mirror holding a complete picture of culture. Languages are living voices of the races sounding their human, personal, social and scientific thoughts.

Dravidian civilization is one of the very oldest civilizations of the entire world. Archaeologists point out that the African continent was one with the South Indian Sub-Continent. It was the Indian Ocean that made a cleft. The synonymous words and phrases still in use stand a testimony to it. Linguists found out resemblances between languages. The current researchers listed out 27 Dravidian languages spread across from Cape Camorin to Afghanistan.
*

The sole objective of the University is to inculcate the spirit of national integration. Its tools are research, lectures, translation and publications.
The Andhra Pradesh Government gifted a vast land of 1093 acres for the University under the leadership of Sri Kotla Vijaya Bhaskara Reddy. Successive Chief Ministers Sri N Chandra Babu Naidu and Sri Y S Rajasekhara Reddy saw to the University growing from strength to strength. The University which had functioned with only 5 Departments, 3 P.G and 5 U.G. courses upto 2004 has in 2006 obtained U.G.C. 12B recognition for grants with the successful starting of five more Departments in addition to 6 courses under self financing scheme. The budget too looked up from 2.8 crores to 6 crores. The 21st Century Gurukulam was another feather in the cap. An extra 3 crores were spent on new buildings. Separate hostels for men and women students too came up.

As a first step of the Document, Curriculum Development was achieved by way of 5 year Integrated Choice Based Credit System (CBCS). Dravidian University was the first to adopt CBSC in the entire State.
Additional Soft Skills Enhancement Training (ASSET) has been made a part of CBCS. The skills are: Communication, Computer, Analytical, Personality Development, and Career Perspectives.

The Emblem

The Emblem of Dravidian University is designed to indicate the main objectives and ideals of the University. The open book symbolizes knowledge accessible to all. The popular maxim Knowledge is Power found at the top of the open book indicates supreme place given to knowledge. The basic aim of the university being the promotion of knowledge, the university has chosen this maxim as its motto.

Lotus is a symbol representing the seat of learning and prosperity and the blossomed lotus symbolizes various facets of knowledge to which the University contributes.

The lighted lamp with four wicks is indicative of the destruction of ignorance and emergence of brightness and liveliness from all sides paving the way for learning and progress. The word dravida in the scripts of the four major Dravidian Languages is a unifying interpretation of the coalescence of Dravidian culture.