Hermann Gundert Biography 
Hermann Gundert was a German missionary, scholar, and linguist, best known for his outstanding contributions to Malayalam language, grammar and literature. Gundert compiled a Malayalam grammar book, Malayalabhaasha Vyakaranam (1859), followed by a Malayalam-English dictionary (1872), and a translation of English Bible to Malayalam. Though a German, his contributions to Malayalam language is regarded as priceless. It was Gundert who introduced punctuation to Malayalam language and his Malayalam-English Dictionary is regarded as a precious treasure for those who are into the research works on Malayalam language, though many of the words are not in use now. He returned to Germany in 1859. Yet he continued with his work and published many, thus contributing to Malayalam language and grammar.
Hermann Gundert was born in Stuttgart on 4 February 1814. Nobel laureate Hermann Hesse, the famous novelist was his grandson. After completing a doctoral degree in Philology in 1835 he reached India where he worked as a teacher in Kolkata for a short while. Got fascinated with India and Indian languages, he learnt Bengali, Hindustani and Telugu on his return. He also tried to teach many, these languages. He landed in Chennai in 1836 where he was first assigned duty at Tirunelveli. He learnt Tamil and also got married to Julie Dubois (from Switzerland) in July 1838. Both settled in India. After staying Tirunelveli and Mangalore they reached Kerala. Actually they visited Thalasseri for the first time while staying at Mangalore and it was to visit cinnamon plantation near Anjarakandy.
Later when a Bungalow was given they moved to Thalassery. Since 1839 he studied Malayalam intensively and established the first Malayalam School in the veranda of the bungalow. His wife also started an institute for girls. Gundert opened Malayalam schools in Kadirur, Thalassery Fort, Mahe, and Dharmadam in a short interval of time. He kept close contact with local people and collected many words, phrases and proverbs used in those days. He published 13 books in Malayalam which included old Malayalam documents and scriptures from Thalassery and other places in Malabar collected by Gundert.
He played a significant role in the development of Malayalam literature and deeply learnt the local culture and language usage of Malabar region in the 19th century. Regarded as one of the greatest scholars of Malayalam language, he played a significant role in the formulation of a systematic grammar of the language also. His work has been described as "monumental" in a review of the work on Dravidian language. He took ten long years to compile Malayalam-English dictionary. He left Kerala in 1859.
Published: N/A
Updated: April 03, 2016
