Skip to content 
Search

Latest Stories

British linguist Ronald E Asher, ambassador of Tamil, Malayalam to teh world, passes away

British linguist Ronald E Asher, ambassador of Tamil, Malayalam to teh world, passes away

Ronald E. Asher, a British linguist and educator specialised in Dravidian languages, has died of old age in London, his family sources said on Wednesday. He was 96.

A fellow of the Royal Asiatic Society, London, Asher won a gold medal from Kerala Sahitya Akademi, Trichur, in 1983 and was honoured by the Royal Society, Edinburgh in 1991. He was also a recipient of a medal from College de France, Paris in 1970.


Asher was born on July 23, 1926 in Gringley-on-the Hill, England.

His relationship with Kerala began during his days at the University of London where V K Krishna Menon, well-known diplomat and political thinker from Kerala, famed to have been the right hand of Jawaharlal Nehru, had delivered one of his prolonged, passionate and provocative speeches.

Asher at that time was pursuing his studies in comparative linguistics at the School of Oriental and African Studies at the University. It was obligatory to learn a new language as part of the course. He first took up Tamil that gradually led him to Malayalam with its well-known kinship with Tamil.

He has spoken passionately of his sweet intimacy with Malayalam that he developed during his postgraduate days.

His longing to learn Malayalam did not find easy fulfillment as there were no proper tools that would help a foreigner to learn the language. He got an opportunity to spend a few months in Kerala in 1963 when he could avail study leave to do research on the spoken forms of Tamil and Malayalam.

More For You

Police probe hate crime over migrant effigies bonfire in Northern Ireland

Models depicting migrants wearing life jackets in a small boat alongside two banners reading 'Stop the boats' and 'Veterans before refugees' are displayed on top a bonfire in Moygashel, Northern Ireland, on July 9, 2025. (Photo by PETER MURPHY/AFP via Getty Images)

Police probe hate crime over migrant effigies bonfire in Northern Ireland

POLICE in Northern Ireland have launched a hate crime investigation after a bonfire topped with effigies of migrants in a boat was set alight in the village of Moygashel, County Tyrone.

The incident, which took place on Thursday (10) night, has drawn widespread condemnation from political leaders, church officials, and human rights groups.

Keep ReadingShow less
Navratri festival in Wembley

A similar event held at the same site last year resulted in a planning enforcement notice being issued due to complaints of noise and disturbance.

Getty Images

Navratri festival in Wembley faces objections

A PROPOSED 10-day Hindu festival in Wembley, north London, has drawn objections over concerns about noise and disruption in the area.

Asian Events Media (AEM) has applied to Brent Council to host the Navratri celebration at Alperton Studios from September 22 to October 1, according to The London Standard.

Keep ReadingShow less
Pakistan rejects claim of China’s role in border clash

Asim Munir

Pakistan rejects claim of China’s role in border clash

PAKISTAN’S army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir on Monday (7) rejected Delhi’s allegation that his military received active support from longtime ally China in its conflict with India in May.

The Indian Army’s deputy chief, Lieutenant General Rahul Singh, said last week that China gave Islamabad “live inputs” on key Indian positions.

Keep ReadingShow less
Modi courts Latin nations to expand trade relations

Christine Kangaloo awards Narendra Modi with the Order of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago last Friday (4)

Modi courts Latin nations to expand trade relations

INDIA’S prime minister, Narendra Modi met Argentine president Javier Milei in Buenos Aires last Saturday (5), urging the expansion of New Delhi’s preferential trade deal with South America’s Mercosur bloc.

The bilateral talks with Milei were the latest in Modi’s whistle-stop diplomatic tour culminating in the summit of Brics emerging economies which began last Sunday (6) in Brazil.

Keep ReadingShow less
Minister 'open to talks' on British Sikh regiment

Lord Coaker (Photo: UK Parliament)

Minister 'open to talks' on British Sikh regiment

A FRESH parliamentary initiative to establish a dedicated Sikh regiment within the British Army has gained momentum in the House of Lords, with defence minister Lord Coaker expressing willingness to engage in further discussions about the long-debated proposal.

The issue was raised in the House of Lords on Monday (7) by Labour peer Lord Sahota, who asked whether there had been any progress on long-standing calls for a Sikh regiment.

Keep ReadingShow less