A digital archive has been developed on social and religious reformer Vidyadhiraja Chattampi Swami (1853-1924), who deeply influenced transformation of the caste-ridden Kerala into a progressive society in the early 20th century.

The archive, being developed at the Centre for South Indian Studies (CSIS), plans to put on cyberspace nearly 20,000 printed pages on the Swami.

According to CSIS vice-president G Sreekumar, the archive will carry the Swami's published and unpublished works, books articles and research works on him, apart from memoirs and records of his speeches, collected from various sources.

The digital data base would also contain poems, essays, critical works, commentaries and documents relating to the Swami.

"We have already mobilised 5000 pages and we are working to to raise it to 20,000 pages", Sreekumar said.

An "intellectual biography" on the Swami, written by R Raman Nair and L Sulochana Devi would be released during the launch of the archive shortly.

The archive could be accessed through www.csba.net.tc, Sreekumar said.