History
The institute was founded in 1963 by Prof. Klaus Ludwig Janert, who was among the few Indologists at that time to promote Tamil studies. Under Prof. Monika Thiel-Horstmann (director 1987-1990), Prof. Dieter Kapp (director 1990-2006) and Prof. Ulrike Niklas (director 2006-2022),, the focus on Language and Culture of the Tamil realm as distinguishing feature of the institute was further developed. In 2012, the institute merged with the Malaiology into the broader Institute of South Asian and Southeast Asian Studies (SASOA), allowing a broader perspective on the cultural dynamics between South India and Southeast Asia (e.g., Cambodia and Bali).