as the literature of other literary languages such as Sanskrit, Tamil and Telugu. The earliest available Saurashtra literature that survives to this date is the Saurashtra translation of the great Sanskrit epic of Ramayana. It was written by Venkatasoori Swamigal (1800 AD), a Sanskrit scholar and disciple of Venkataramana Bhagavathar who lived in Ayyampettai of Thanjavur district. Other important literary works in Saurashtra are: Bhagavad Gita (Bhagavat Giito) 1953 AD – written by T.R.Padmanabhaiyer Tirukkural (Saurashtra Thirukural Payiram—Pitika Pragaranam) 1980 AD – translated by Sankhu Ram Mahabharata (Paandavun Khetho) 2013 AD – written by Kasin Anantham Silappatikaram 2018 AD – translated by S.D.Gnaneswaran Besides Tirukkural, Sankhu Ram has done many literary works in Saurashtra like Gnanamritha Geetham, Shiddhashrama Prabhaavam and so on. The first Saurashtra dictionary was brought out by T.M. Rama Rai, the author of Vachana Ramayana, in 1908. It was printed in Saurashtra script and was in the form of slokas. Apart from these he is also credited for Niti Sambu and Natanagopala Nayaki Swami's Kirthanas. The Sahitya Akademi Award is given to authors writing in the Saurashtra language since 2007. A former Sanskrit Professor of Sourashtra College in Madurai, T.R. Damodaran won the award for his book Jiva Sabda Kosam, a compilation of 1,333 Saurashtra words with English and Tamil meanings. However, Saroja Sundararajan, was also awarded for Yogendran Monnum Singaru Latun (in Tamil, ‘Yogendra Thalaivarkalin Manathiley Ezhuntha Azhagiya Alaigal’), a rendition of works of Adi Sankara's Soundaryalahiri, Kanagadhara stotra and Mahishasuramarthini stotra, Natana Gopala Nayagi Swami's ‘Mooschi Deshad,’ ‘Subramanian Mahatmiyam’ and songs of Sai Baba. Learning Saurashtra Saurashtra Language is often learnt by speakers from the community members as self-learning resources are not common. Constant efforts have been made by scholars of Saurashtra Language to preserve the language, and provide opportunities for others to learn. Attempts such Saurashtra Dictionary try to make uncommon Saurashtra words accessible by providing equivalent words in languages such as English, Hindi, and Tamil that speakers might be familiar with. Saurashtra Course in the language learning app, Memrise helps makes learning Saurashtra accessible to English speakers, with the words in Harvard-Kyoto notation, and words pronounced by native speakers. See also Saraostus Saurashtra Kingdom Saurashtra (region) Saurashtra (state) Saurashtra people Saurashtra script Saurashtra (Unicode block) Gujarati languages References External links Sourashtra World Indo-Aryan languages Western Indo-Aryan languages Languages of Tamil Nadu Languages of Gujarat Saurashtra (region) Languages written in Devanagari