The DCI TML Ismail Tamil Font Keyboard Layout is a customized keyboard layout designed specifically for typing in Tamil using the English keyboard. It was developed by the Tamil Nadu Government's Department of Communications and Information Technology (DCI) in collaboration with the Tamil Medium Language (TML) team and Ismail, a renowned Tamil language expert. This keyboard layout is optimized for typing in Tamil using the English keyboard, making it easier for users to type in their native language.
Unlike phonetic keyboards (e.g., "a" for "அ"), the DCI TML Ismail layout follows a . What you see on the keycap is usually what you get, but the English letter mapped to that key is often random.
Row 3 (A to L) A : அ S : இ D : உ F : எ G : ஒ H : ஔ J : ஈ K : ஊ L : ஏ ; : ஐ ' : — (reserved / punctuation)
If you open a document and see gibberish English text (e.g., "arwvd"), the system is reading the underlying data without the font layer. Highlight the text and change the font selection to to restore the Tamil script. 2. Text Turns into Boxes or Question Marks dci tml ismail tamil font keyboard layout
Mapped according to phonetic pronunciation (e.g., 'k' for க).
The DCI TML Ismail Tamil Font Keyboard Layout has its roots in the early 2000s, when the Tamil Nadu government initiated efforts to promote the use of Tamil language in computing. The government recognized the need for a standardized keyboard layout that could facilitate easy typing in Tamil. A team of experts, including Ismail, was formed to develop a customized keyboard layout that would meet the requirements of Tamil language typing. The DCI TML Ismail Tamil Font Keyboard Layout was born out of this initiative and has since become the de facto standard for Tamil language typing.
We are in a renaissance of Indic computing. With ChromeOS, Linux, and Windows now supporting custom Unicode layouts natively, you don't need expensive software. The DCI TML Ismail layout is free, open-source, and comes pre-packaged in many Tamil Linux distros like . The DCI TML Ismail Tamil Font Keyboard Layout
You must have the actual TrueType Font (.TTF) file installed on your system.
In the vibrant world of Tamil computing, typography holds a special place. While Unicode has standardized Tamil typing, many professional designers, printers, and journalists still prefer dedicated, traditional fonts for their aesthetic quality and precision. One such popular, legacy-style font is .
Because legacy fonts do not automatically combine characters, you must type the consonant and the vowel modifier separately: Unlike phonetic keyboards (e
It is common in older magazine designs, government archives, and banner printing systems. Keyboard Layout & Typing Methods
Certain local government registries and older digital archives in Tamil Nadu still pull data that displays correctly only through this font mapping.
The is not obsolete; it is specialized. If you work in Tamil newspaper printing, government archival digitization, or traditional publishing, you cannot avoid it. It is the "QWERTY" of professional Tamil typing—difficult to learn, but once mastered, incredibly fast.
Download the DCI_TML_Ismail.ttf file from a trusted Tamil font repository. Right-click the font file and select .