History and Culture of Tamil Nadu
by Chithra Madhvan and with a foreword by K.V. Raman

Inscriptions are the most authentic and vital source for reconstructing the history of India. Epigraphs were composed in sanskrit in various parts of India and the ancient Tamil country was no exception to this practice. Among the thousands of epigraphs found all over Tamil Nadu a large number are composed in chaste sanskrit and these as well as the sanskrit portions of the bi-lingual copper-plate records serve as an important source of data about the conditions which existed in the ancient Tamil country. Dr. Chithra Madhavan took her M.A. degree in Indian history with first rank from the University of Madras in 1988 and received the M.Phil degree in 1989. She has contributed a number of research papers on epigraphy art and architecture to various seminars and reputed journals and also many popular articles to newspapers on Indian history and art.