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What evidence connects the Greek word for rice with Proto-Dravidian?

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Thematic map of South Asia showing the distribution of Dravidian languages, with different regions shaded or marked to indicate where specific Dravidian languages and subgroups are spoken. Most languages are concentrated in southern and central India, with some northern outliers in Pakistan, Afghanistan, and eastern India. A key identifies the languages by number and subgroup, and striped areas indicate regions where several subgroups overlap. — Dravidian languages Distribution of Dravidian languages.

The theory that the Greek word for rice, oruza/oryza/orynda, is connected to the Dravidian language family is considered plausible by some scholars.1

Linguists compare the Greek term to the reconstructed Proto-Dravidian form *war-inci. This reconstruction is based on various attested descendant forms, including:1

Tamil-Malayalam-Telugu: wari
Parji: verci(l)
Gadaba: varci(l)
Gondi: wanji

This connection is distinct from earlier proposals, such as those by Robert Caldwell, which attempted to link the Greek word to the Tamil term arisi (derived from South Dravidian ariki). While the authenticity of many claims regarding Dravidian loanwords in other languages has been disputed, the comparison between the Greek oryza* and the Proto-Dravidian war-inci* remains a notable point of study in comparative linguistics.12