By the 5th century CE it became distinct from other Brahmi variants and was used in southern Indian states of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.

It evolved into the Kannada-Telugu alphabet by the 10th century CE and was used to write Kannada and Telugu.

[6] During the rule of Kadamba dynasty (325-550), major change in the Brahmi script resulted in the Kadamba Kannada script, letters were shorter and round in shape.

During (325 to 1000 AD) the rule of the Western Ganga dynasty in the southern parts of Karnataka the Kannada script used differently (also known as Ganga script) in rock edicts and copper plate inscriptions.

During 6th to 10th century, the Telugu-Kannada alphabet stabilized during the rule of the Chalukyas of Badami from 500-1000[7] and Rastrakutas.