Indian Tamil
Quick Summary
The Tamil are a people originating from southern India who speak the Tamil language, a member of the Dravidian language family. In the early 21st century, there were approximately 64 million Tamil speakers, with the majority residing in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Significant Tamil-speaking populations also exist in Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh states in southern India, as well as in Sri Lanka.
The Tamil people have a rich history of cultural and commercial achievements, with evidence of trade with ancient Greeks and Romans. They possess the oldest documented Dravidian language and a literary tradition dating back to the early Christian era. Historically, the region was ruled by dynasties such as the Chera, Chola, Pandya, and Pallava before the Vijayanagar empire's influence. These dynasties contributed to the construction of significant temples, irrigation systems, and infrastructure, and played a role in spreading Indian culture to Southeast Asia.1
Ask Britannica AI about this topic
Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.
