Periyar Arivulagam Library: How Did AI-Generated Books Enter Tamil Nadu's Public Libraries?

The discovery of books containing fabricated authors, false historical claims and questionable International Standard Book Numbers (ISBNs) at Tamil Nadu's ₹300-crore Periyar Arivulagam library in Coimbatore has triggered a political controversy and a court-ordered investigation into public library procurement. Nearly 1,800 Tamil books supplied by a little-known publisher, Agal Vilakku Pathippagam, have come under scrutiny over suspected AI-generated content, disputed authorship and alleged irregularities in pricing and publishing details.

The controversy was brought to light by acclaimed Tamil writer Perumal Murugan, who questioned the authenticity and quality of books stocked in the library's Tamil section. The allegations have since raised broader concerns about the use of artificial intelligence in publishing, the verification of books purchased with public money, and the ability of institutional selection committees to detect fabricated content.

The Madras High Court has ordered an investigation by the state's anti-corruption agency into the purchases and directed the freezing of bank accounts linked to the publisher accused of supplying the books. The case has also triggered a political dispute between the ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) government and the opposition Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), with both sides contesting responsibility for the procurement.

What Is The Periyar Arivulagam Library Controversy?

Periyar Arivulagam, named after social reformer Periyar EV Ramasamy, is a major public library and knowledge centre in Coimbatore, built at a cost of around ₹300 crore. It was inaugurated on October 16 by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay.

The library reportedly purchased a little over 60,000 titles, with nearly ₹20 crore spent from an allocated budget of ₹50 crore on book procurement. The controversy centres on nearly 1,800 books in the Tamil section that were allegedly supplied by Agal Vilakku Pathippagam, a little-known Chennai-based publisher.

Murugan flagged several books that appeared to contain factual inaccuracies, fictitious author credentials and questionable ISBNs. Some titles were also reportedly priced substantially higher than comparable publications.

One of the books cited by Murugan, Naladiyar Vaazhvin Vazhikatti, purportedly written by Surya Balu, was priced at ₹1,445 for 300 pages. The book describes Naladiyar as a Tamil poet and philosopher. However, Naladiyar is not an individual author. It is a classical Tamil literary work comprising 400 verses on morality and ethics, attributed to Jain ascetics.

Another book, Tamil Nadu Oru Paarvai, attributed to Dhanalakshmi Arjun, reportedly claims that Muthuvelu Subbaiah Iyer was Tamil Nadu's chief minister in 1947, despite no such leader having held the position.

Murugan also questioned Madurai Kanchi, which reportedly attributes the ancient Tamil poem to a non-existent author, and Bharathiyar Kathaigal, which allegedly presents an unverified story as the work of poet Subramania Bharathi.

The books reportedly featured unfamiliar author names, including Trisha Vijay, Vijay Balu, Surya Balu and Monika Surya. More than 100 books supplied by another publisher, Phoenix Pathippagam, have also come under scrutiny. Both publishing houses reportedly shared the same Chennai address.

The allegations extend beyond Coimbatore. A book titled Democracy and People's Rights in the Contemporary World, found at a public library in Madurai, reportedly names economist Jean Drèze as its author. Drèze has said he did not write the book, raising concerns about the unauthorised use of a real author's name.

While the allegations have raised suspicions of AI-generated publishing, it remains unclear whether all the disputed books were produced using artificial intelligence.

How Can AI Generate Entire Books And Fake Authors?

Generative artificial intelligence tools can produce large volumes of text in a short period, including book-length manuscripts, summaries, biographies and literary analyses. A user can provide a subject, an outline and a desired writing style, and an AI tool can generate chapters that resemble a conventional book.

However, these systems do not necessarily distinguish between accurate information and plausible-sounding falsehoods. They can generate incorrect historical details, invent quotations, fabricate references and attribute works to people who never wrote them.

This problem is commonly associated with AI hallucinations. A generated text may appear coherent and authoritative while containing information that has no factual basis.

AI tools can also create fictional author biographies and credentials. Names, educational backgrounds, professional histories and literary achievements can be generated to give a manuscript the appearance of legitimacy.

In the Tamil Nadu controversy, the presence of unfamiliar authors and factual inaccuracies has fuelled suspicions that AI may have been used to produce some of the books. However, establishing whether a book was AI-generated requires a closer examination of the manuscript, publishing records and other evidence. The presence of errors alone does not conclusively establish AI use.

What Is An ISBN And Why Are The Disputed Numbers Important?

An International Standard Book Number (ISBN) is a unique identifier assigned to a specific edition of a book. It helps publishers, booksellers, libraries and distributors identify and manage titles within the publishing industry.

A standard ISBN contains 13 digits. It is associated with information such as the title, publisher and edition, allowing a book to be distinguished from other publications.

In India, ISBNs are issued through the ISBN agency under the Ministry of Education. Publishers are expected to use valid identifiers corresponding to the books and editions they publish.

Murugan has alleged that the ISBNs printed on the disputed books were fake or questionable. If confirmed, this would raise concerns about the authenticity of the publishing details supplied to the library.

An ISBN, however, does not certify the quality, accuracy or originality of a book. A valid ISBN cannot guarantee that its content is factually correct or that the named author actually wrote it. ISBN verification must therefore be accompanied by checks on authorship, publisher credentials and the manuscript itself.

How Were The Books Procured?

The procurement process has become a central point of contention in the controversy.

According to officials, the books were purchased following recommendations from selection and recommendation committees. The recommendation committee included experts from different fields, while a separate selection committee was tasked with evaluating and finalising titles.

Director of Public Libraries (in-charge) S Jayandhi said the books had been purchased based on the recommendations of the committees.

The committee included former State Planning Commission vice-chairperson J Jeyaranjan, zoology professor Sultan Ahmed Ismail, political science professor Ramu Manivannan, Tamil scholar M K Arasenthiran and archaeologist K Rajan. Murugan was also a member of the committee recommending modern literature and literary criticism.

However, Murugan said committee members were not informed which of the titles they had recommended were ultimately purchased.

Sultan Ahmed Ismail also questioned the process. He said committee members had directly shortlisted books for Chennai's Anna Centenary Library and Madurai's Kalaignar Centenary Library. For Periyar Arivulagam, however, members were asked to enter titles into a Google Sheet.

Ismail said he had protested against the change and did not recommend any titles. He called for the disclosure of records identifying those who recommended the disputed books.

The controversy has consequently raised questions about whether the recommended titles were properly scrutinised, whether the final procurement lists matched the experts' recommendations, and how the books passed through the subsequent stages of price negotiation and approval.

Madras High Court Orders Investigation

The Madras High Court has ordered the state's anti-corruption agency to investigate the allegations surrounding the procurement of the disputed books. The court has also ordered the freezing of bank accounts linked to the publisher accused of supplying them.

The investigation is expected to examine procurement records and the circumstances under which the books were purchased.

Tamil Nadu School Education Minister A Rajmohan has accused the previous DMK government of corruption in the procurement process. He said the process began in November 2025, with a purchase committee meeting held on January 24, 2026.

Rajmohan said an inquiry had begun and those found involved would be brought before the law. The TVK government has also said the investigation would extend to purchases made at other public libraries across the state.

The DMK has denied the allegations, arguing that the purchases were made by the TVK government. The dispute has turned the controversy into a political battle over accountability for public expenditure.

The state government has also ordered an internal audit of public library collections. Rajmohan said 523 books had been removed from Chennai's historic Connemara Public Library following preliminary checks, while disputed titles have also been removed from Periyar Arivulagam.

What Does The AI Book Scandal Mean For Public Libraries?

The controversy has raised concerns about the ability of public institutions to verify the authenticity of books in an era when AI tools can rapidly generate manuscripts and publishing details.

For authors, the unauthorised use of names and fabricated literary credentials could undermine professional credibility and raise questions about copyright and attribution. Publishers face scrutiny over the authenticity of their catalogues and the accuracy of the information they provide.

For readers, the presence of fabricated historical and literary claims in publicly funded libraries threatens the reliability of institutions expected to provide access to credible knowledge.

The case has also highlighted the limits of ISBN verification and committee-based selection. A book may carry publishing identifiers and pass through a procurement process without necessarily being authentic, accurate or responsibly produced.

More than 160 writers, researchers, artists and publishers have signed a joint statement calling for an independent inquiry, the disclosure of procurement records and an audit of library collections across Tamil Nadu. The group has also called for the recovery of public money if the investigation establishes misuse.

The central question remains how the disputed books entered the library's collection, who approved their purchase and whether public funds were improperly spent. The Madras High Court-ordered investigation will be crucial in establishing whether the controversy involves AI-generated content, procurement irregularities or a wider failure of institutional verification.