Oxford University Press Launches New Mini-Bilingual Kannada Dictionary
New dictionary features 20,000+ words, Kannada translations, and NEP-aligned learning tools, celebrating language and culture
In celebration of the upcoming festive season and World Dictionary Day, observed on 16 October, Oxford University Press India (OUP) launched the Mini English-Kannada Dictionary, specially designed for students, language learners, and general readers.
The Mini English-Kannada Dictionary, featuring a cover inspired by the vibrant Channapatna toys of Karnataka, celebrates the state’s rich artistic and cultural heritage while serving as a practical learning companion. The dictionary features over 20,000 words and derivatives with their detailed translations in Kannada along with grammatical information on all English words.
Sukanta Das, Managing Director, Oxford University Press India, said, “With millions of speakers worldwide, Kannada is one of the country’s most expressive and culturally rich languages. Oxford’s new Mini English-Kannada Dictionary is crafted to support learners with contemporary, real-world usage. It’s a celebration of both language and learning.”
Sukanta added, “India speaks in many tongues, and we’re proud to support this linguistic diversity. From Kannada to Malayalam, from Gujarati to Hindi - Oxford dictionaries, now in 13 Indian languages, serve as essential reference tools for India’s multilingual learners. With bilingual and trilingual formats, grammar notes, pronunciation guides, and real-life examples, they support learning at every level. Over the years, Oxford dictionaries have empowered millions of learners to strengthen their language skills.”
This festive season, OUP expands its bilingual dictionary portfolio with new editions in mini and compact formats, covering Gujarati, Malayalam, Kannada, and Marathi. These dictionaries are designed to empower learners with accessible, NEP-aligned resources that bridge English and Indian languages—offering clarity, context, and cultural relevance.
Oxford Dictionaries form a cornerstone of OUP’s publishing legacy, establishing it as the world’s most trusted dictionary publisher. The Indian dictionary range includes monolingual, bilingual, and trilingual formats across 13 Indian languages besides English, namely Gujarati, Assamese, Bengali, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Punjabi, Odia, Tamil, Telugu, Urdu, Hindi and Sanskrit.
The launch of the new range of dictionaries is closely aligned with India’s National Education Policy (NEP 2020) and National Curriculum Framework (NCF 2023), both of which emphasize multilingual education and foundational literacy. By offering explanations in Indian languages alongside English, these resources help learners understand, retain, and apply new knowledge more effectively.
Designed to be highly portable, the newly launched dictionaries are designed to turn vocabulary-building into an everyday habit, whether in the classroom or at home. Each dictionary offers clear, simple meanings, bilingual pronunciation guides, and key grammar notes. They ensure that learners not only know the words but use them with confidence.
