New Tulu-script keyboard launched for Android users

New Tulu-script keyboard launched for Android users

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, Oct 6, 2026: A new keyboard that enables users to type directly in the Tulu script has been launched for Android smartphones, marking a significant step towards bringing the coastal Karnataka language into everyday digital communication.

Named Kural Tulu Touch, the keyboard was developed by software developers Harshith Devadiga and Chaithra Poojary. It was officially launched recently at the Tulunada Janapada Sambhrama organised by the Karnataka Tulu Sahitya Academy in Bengaluru.

The keyboard is currently available through the Baravu Saravu app. Once enabled through the “New Keyboard” option, users can type in Tulu script across applications such as WhatsApp, switch between Tulu and other keyboards, and convert typed text into shareable stickers for digital conversations.

Making Tulu script easier to use

Designed with a familiar mobile keyboard layout, Kural Tulu Touch supports Tulu letters, numbers, gunithakshara and votthakshara, allowing users to accurately form words and character combinations.

The developers said the aim was to make Tulu script practical for everyday digital communication rather than limiting its use to educational or archival purposes. The keyboard was developed in about two weeks using Flutter for the application and Firebase for the backend.

The project builds on a Tulu-learning application developed by the team around three years ago. Harshith Devadiga said one of the key technical challenges was accurately mapping the Tulu font to the keyboard layout so that users could easily identify and type characters on small smartphone screens.

Sharath Kodavoor, founding member of Jai Tulunad, said the initiative seeks to bring the CIIL-approved Tulu script into the digital space. He stressed that accurate character mapping is essential to avoid confusion among users.

Baravu Saravu as a Tulu learning platform

Apart from the keyboard, the Baravu Saravu app functions as a broader Tulu-learning resource. It includes a Tulu dictionary, basic sentences, audio-based learning materials and heritage photographs that provide cultural context.

Users can also suggest new words for inclusion in the dictionary. The suggestions are reviewed before being added to the platform.

Banashri Avinash, who contributed Tulu-script learning content and videos to the app, said the platform provides practical resources for people interested in learning and practising the traditional script.

Digital future for Tulu script

The keyboard builds on the recent inclusion of the Tulu-Tigalari script in the Unicode Standard. In 2024, the Unicode Consortium added 80 Tulu characters in Unicode 16, providing the technical foundation for digital platforms to support the script and enabling developers to create compatible fonts and keyboards.

The development is expected to help younger users, who rely heavily on smartphones for communication, use the traditional script instead of depending on Kannada, English or Latin transliteration.

The Kural Tulu Touch keyboard is currently available only on Android. The developers plan to introduce an iOS version in the future.