Moundadan Chetty
Overview
The New Testament in Chetti, Moundadan was published by New Life Computer Institute (NLCI) in 2018. It is available online via YouVersion/Bible.com (New Testament, 27 books).
Language and People
Moundadan Chetty (also spelled Maundadan Chetti; ISO 639-3: cty) is a Southern Dravidian language of India, classified within the Kannadoid subgroup. Its closest linguistic relative is Badaga (57% lexical similarity), with lower similarities to Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil, and Wayanadan Chetti (41–47%). The language has no independent script; speakers use Tamil, Malayalam, and Kannada for literacy.
The Moundadan Chetty people number approximately 3,000 and live in five small hamlets (locally called amsoms) situated about five miles from the town of Gudalur in the Nilgiris district of Tamil Nadu, with a smaller community in Wayanad district, Kerala. The five villages are Gudalur, Chimathurai, Cherumulli, Padanthorai, and Mudumalai amsoms, clustered in the foothills bordering Tamil Nadu and Kerala. The area was historically part of Malabar and came under British-demarcated Nilgiris district in 1877.
The community is classified as a Most Backward Community (MBC) in Tamil Nadu's state backward classes list, not as a Scheduled Tribe. They are one of the oldest communities in Gudalur, with Rani Patta land grants as historical documentation. Their primary occupations are agriculture and cattle herding; the family deity is enshrined at the Vaneswari temple in Gudalur.
Publishing and Organizations
New Life Computer Institute (NLCI) is a Bangalore-based Indian Christian organization whose mission is "God's Word in every language community, actively transforming lives." NLCI conducts sociolinguistic surveys across India to identify translation needs, runs scripture translation projects in over 36 languages, and provides typesetting, printing, and computer support for translation teams. It has been active in mobilizing young Indian nationals into Bible translation ministry.