Welcome to Nalinam – A Vision Since 1990

Nalinam - a sophisticated Tamil software (Tamil intelligent keyboarding system) born through hard work and a heart full of love. Cleverly created and carefully crafted to be simply classy and superb!

Year 1990, it started with a wonderful vision... 34 years down the road, staying strong in its marvelous mission. Working tirelessly to make the Tamil language better, giving it a scientific touch in the world of computers.

Reaching out globally to the people of every community, given absolutely FREE without any compromise on its exceptional quality.

Exclusive talks and trainings, endless seminars and workshops. Our journey has been always a service with a smile.

Siva Chinniah (Sivagurunathan Chinniah)

The People Behind the Mission

The Founder, Siva Chinniah, and His Inspirer, Nalina, for whom Nalinam Software was dedicated.

Invention of Nalinam

TV interview about Nalinam, showcasing its journey and development.

A Journey Through Tamil Tech Innovation

Twinkle multimedia project showcasing early development in Tamil computing.

Nalinam Word 2010: A milestone in Tamil word processing innovation.

The Nalinam DOS Keyboard: Nalinam 2.0 — Released in 1992, the world’s first bilingual word processing software fully interfaced in Tamil with menu commands in Tamil! Powered by the revolutionary Dvorak-based Tamil keyboard, enabling 51% of Tamil text to be typed effortlessly from the home row keys (ASDF and JKL;), minimizing finger movement and maximizing speed — far ahead of Microsoft and Android Tamil keyboards!

How It All Began: The Story of Nalinam

The Spark of Curiosity

With a lifelong fascination for computer science and information systems, I embarked on a mission nearly two decades ago to revolutionize Tamil typing. This led to the creation of Nalinam — the world's first bilingual Tamil word processor with a native-language graphical interface.

The DOS Era: Rewiring the Rules

The initial version of Nalinam was developed during an era dominated by DOS, where hardware and software were not built for Asian languages. I had to bypass system constraints using direct hardware interfacing — rewriting extended ASCII in VGA RAM and creating my own printer and keyboard drivers. It wasn’t just programming; it was engineering.

Enhancing Interaction with Innovation

From basic text entry to complete user engagement, I built a GUI, font utility, interactive tutorials, and even word games. All of this — over 50,000 lines of original C++ code — was shared freely, downloaded by thousands across 50+ countries.

From DOS to Windows

As operating systems evolved, so did Nalinam. I rewrote the engine in 10,000 lines to adapt to Windows, streamlining core features while retiring those made redundant by the OS. Fonts and editors became the focus — simpler, smarter, faster.

Typing Ahead of Microsoft

I then developed a technique to let users type Tamil in any Windows application by manipulating the message queue before the keyboard signal reached the program — something Microsoft later introduced, but never with Nalinam’s intuitive design.

Looking Ahead

With Tamil use growing globally — in schools, governments, and media — I anticipate that large players will catch up. But I’m proud Nalinam was first, and remains a community-driven pioneer.

Partnering with Articulate Multimedia

In the late 1990s, I joined forces with Malaysia’s Articulate Multimedia to build the world’s first Tamil edutainment software. Our project, "Story Time with Arti," won the Best Multimedia Title of the Year 1998. We went on to develop 9 more titles that reached classrooms across Malaysia and Singapore.

Milestones in Tamil Multimedia

World's First Tamil Multimedia

Second Multimedia CD

Third Multimedia CD

Fourth Multimedia CD

Fifth Multimedia CD

Sixth Multimedia CD

Experience Nalinam Through Video

Explore Nalinam's multimedia videos showcasing exceptional Tamil artistry and innovation. Dive into the world of creative and cultural excellence.

Watch Artist Video 1

Watch Artist Video 2

Watch Artist Video 3

Music and Lyrics for Future Tamil Learners

The following sound files will be incorporated into our multimedia software, which is still under development! In the final version, the sound recording and the singer's voice will be more professional. If you want to contribute anything in any way, please do contact me.

No	Download Songs (MP3)	Download Lyrics
1	Twinkle Twinkle Little Star	Lyric
2	Baa Baa Black Sheep	Lyric
3	Rainbow - our own composition	Lyric
4	Itsy Bitsy Spider	Lyric
5	Old Mac Donald	Lyric
6	If You’re Happy and You Know It	Lyric
7	The More We Get Together	Lyric
8	I'm a Little Teapot	Lyric