About the Author

About the Author

Dr. C. S. Mohanavelu is an Indian historian whose research has made a distinctive contribution to the documentation of German–Tamil intellectual and cultural relations. He has devoted his scholarly career to investigating German contributions to Tamil language, literature, indigenous medicine, natural sciences, and social history.

He received his Ph.D. in History from the University of Madras in 1990 for his doctoral dissertation, German Tamilology: German Contributions to Tamil Language, Literature and Culture during the Period 1706–1945, published in 1993 with support from the Indian Council of Historical Research, New Delhi.

His subsequent research culminated in a major annotated bibliography of German scholarship on Tamil Nadu during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Funded by the University Grants Commission, this 538-page digital archival project was published by Stanford University in 2012, providing a valuable resource for researchers exploring the history of German Tamil studies.

Dr. Mohanavelu served as Assistant Professor and Reader in History, teaching at colleges affiliated with the University of Madras and supervising postgraduate and doctoral research. He has presented papers at international conferences in Germany and India and contributed to scholarly publications on missionary history, indigenous medical knowledge, Tamil society, and the historical development of German Indology.

His research is distinguished by its use of historical diaries, archival documents, correspondence, and eyewitness accounts to illuminate aspects of Tamil civilization that might otherwise remain less widely known. Through his scholarship, he seeks to preserve an important documentary heritage and foster a deeper understanding of the historical relationship between German scholarship and Tamil culture.

Now, at 81 years of age, Dr. C. S. Mohanavelu continues to devote his life to preserving and bringing international recognition to the remarkable contributions of German missionaries and scholars to Tamil language, literature, indigenous medicine, science, and culture. His commitment to this field remains unwavering. He is currently preparing an expanded new edition of German Tamilology, incorporating additional historical documentation, updated references, and newly researched material to enrich our understanding of German–Tamil intellectual and cultural encounters.

For Dr. Mohanavelu, this is more than an academic undertaking; it is a lifelong mission to ensure that the pioneering contributions of these German scholars are not forgotten, but recognized and appreciated by scholars, students, and readers around the world. His continuing work reflects his conviction that historical knowledge must be preserved, strengthened through research, and passed on to future generations.