Why in news?
The pastoral Toda community of the Nilgiri Hills is partnering with the Scheme for Protection and Preservation of Endangered Languages (SPPEL) to document and revitalise their language. In August 2025 the Ministry of Education showcased this project as a model for safeguarding linguistic diversity.
Who are the Todas?
The Todas are a small, indigenous group residing in Tamil Nadu’s Nilgiris district. They rear buffaloes and live in distinct barrel‑shaped huts. Their language, part of the proto‑South‑Dravidian family, has no native script and has historically been transmitted orally.
Preservation efforts
- Documentation: Under SPPEL, linguists are recording Toda vocabulary, grammar, songs and folklore. Oral traditions are integrated into written primers and dictionaries.
- Digitisation: Modern tools such as high‑resolution audio recorders and linguistic software are used. The Sanchika online repository makes materials accessible worldwide.
- Education: Toda primers for children and trilingual (Toda–Tamil–English) dictionaries encourage literacy. Workshops teach the community to read and write their language using the Tamil script.
Why it matters
Documenting endangered languages preserves cultural identity and traditional ecological knowledge. It also enriches India’s linguistic heritage, which includes over 1,300 languages. The Toda project underscores the role of community participation and government support in saving vulnerable tongues.