The collection of articles in honour of a great scholar illustrated work of Professor G. Vijayavenugopal, focusing on his scientific activity as head of the epigraphy department, founded upon his arrival at the EFEO Centre in Pondicherry. The articles highlight the versatility of his scholarship and the influence he had on their authors, presenting three sections: Tamil literature, epigraphy, and linguistics. They echo his research career, evoking his work on Caṅkam and Bhakti literature, then his role as co-founder of the Tamil epigraphical journal Āvaṇam, and prolific editor and translator of Tamil inscriptions. The last section brings to mind his interest in linguistics, focusing on the language of inscriptions and philology, to complete the circle of a life dedicated to research.