kR^i in Tamil using xelatex

Question

I am trying to get kR^i as in kR^iShNa in Tamil. This is written as kru followed by an inverted comma, i.e. kru'. Following is my program

\documentclass[12pt,letterpaper]{article}
\usepackage{fontspec}
\usepackage{polyglossia}
\newfontfamily{\sst}[Script=Devanagari]{Sanskrit 2003}
\newfontfamily{\nst}[Script=Tamil]{Noto Sans Tamil}
\begin{document}
{\sst कृष्ण}\
{\nst க்ருʼஷ்ண}
\end{document}

When I run the above program using xelatex, I don't get the inverted comma. Only a blank square shows up.

Answer 1

A workaround could be to use a matching font that contains the character:

MWE

\documentclass[12pt,letterpaper]{article}
\usepackage{fontspec}
%\usepackage{polyglossia}
\newfontfamily{\sst}[Script=Devanagari]{Noto Sans Devanagari}%Sanskrit 2003}
\newfontfamily{\nst}[Script=Tamil]{Noto Sans Tamil}
\newfontfamily\fextra{Noto Sans}
\newcommand\apostrophe{{\fextra ʼ}}
\begin{document}
\
{\sst कृष्ण}
{\nst க்ருʼஷ்ண}
{\nst க்ரு\apostrophe ஷ்ண}
\end{document}

---

edited

To add to the comment about which fonts to use:

The answer will vary according to the desired purpose and usage. One answer will not fit everybody for all cases. It will be a matter for selection and choice.

For example, Pria Ravichandran's Catamaran font at Google Fonts is a sans text font with Latin and Tamil and comes in various weights.

The other fonts at Google Fonts are worth checking out. And, of course, Google's own Noto are worth a look too.

The GIST fonts at CDAC are also worth a look.

They come in various styles.

For example, for Tamil:

and

Each style suited to its purpose.

Check out the other GIST fonts.

Also, look in other Centres of Excellence, too.

MWE

\documentclass[12pt]{article}
\usepackage{xcolor}
\pagecolor{red!3}
\usepackage{fontspec}
\setmainfont[Script=Tamil]{Noto Serif Tamil}
\newfontfamily\tamilfontsf[Script=Tamil]{Noto Sans Tamil}
\newfontfamily\englishfont{Noto Serif}
\newcommand\fztaname{Catamaran}%Baloo Thambi}
\newcommand\fxtaname{Catamaran Black}
\newcommand\fctaname{Catamaran ExtraBold}
\newcommand\fvtaname{Catamaran SemiBold}
\newcommand\fbtaname{Catamaran Medium}
\newcommand\fntaname{Catamaran Light}
\newcommand\fmtaname{Catamaran ExtraLight}
\newcommand\fmmtaname{Catamaran Thin}
\newcommand\ftbname{ETTamilNew}
\newcommand\ftcname{Kavivanar}
%\newcommand\ftdname{落落补 汤圆}%{\detokenize{GIST-TMOTParvathi}}
\newcommand\ftename{SakalBharati}
\newcommand\ftfname{\detokenize{TSCu_SaiIndira}}
%
%
\newfontface\fzta{\fztaname}
\newfontface\fxta{\fxtaname}
\newfontface\fcta{\fctaname}
\newfontface\fvta{\fvtaname}
\newfontface\fbta{\fbtaname}
\newfontface\fnta{\fntaname}
\newfontface\fmta{\fmtaname}
\newfontface\fmmta{\fmmtaname}
\newfontface\ftb{\ftbname}
\newfontface\ftc{\ftcname}
%\newfontface\ftd{\ftdname}
\newfontface\fte{\ftename}
\newfontface\ftf{\ftfname}
\newcommand\sampletext{சூரியக் குடும்பம்}
\newcommand\gaftcname{\detokenize{GIST-TMOTAbhirami}}
\newcommand\gbftcname{\detokenize{GIST-TMOTAmala}}
\newcommand\gcftcname{\detokenize{GIST-TMOTAppar}}
\newcommand\gdftcname{\detokenize{GIST-TMOTChanakya}}
\newcommand\geftcname{\detokenize{GIST-TMOTChandra}}
\newcommand\gfftcname{\detokenize{GIST-TMOTHeena}}
\newcommand\ggftcname{\detokenize{GIST-TMOTIlango}}
\newcommand\ghftcname{\detokenize{GIST-TMOTKalyani}}
\newcommand\giftcname{\detokenize{GIST-TMOTKamal}}
\newcommand\gjftcname{\detokenize{GIST-TMOTKannadasan}}
\newcommand\gkftcname{\detokenize{GIST-TMOTKannagi}}
\newcommand\glftcname{\detokenize{GIST-TMOTKomala}}
\newcommand\gmftcname{\detokenize{GIST-TMOTKrishnan}}
\newcommand\gnftcname{\detokenize{GIST-TMOTKumudam}}
\newcommand\goftcname{\detokenize{GIST-TMOTLalitha}}
\newcommand\gpftcname{\detokenize{GIST-TMOTMadhura}}
\newcommand\gqftcname{\detokenize{GIST-TMOTMina}}
\newcommand\grftcname{\detokenize{GIST-TMOTNambi}}
\newcommand\gsftcname{\detokenize{GIST-TMOTPadma}}
\newcommand\gtftcname{\detokenize{GIST-TMOTParvathi}}
\newcommand\guftcname{\detokenize{GIST-TMOTPattinathar}}
\newcommand\gvftcname{\detokenize{GIST-TMOTSuman}}
\newfontface\gaftc{\gaftcname}
\newfontface\gbftc{\gbftcname}
\newfontface\gcftc{\gcftcname}
\newfontface\gdftc{\gdftcname}
\newfontface\geftc{\geftcname}
\newfontface\gfftc{\gfftcname}
\newfontface\ggftc{\ggftcname}
\newfontface\ghftc{\ghftcname}
\newfontface\giftc{\giftcname}
\newfontface\gjftc{\gjftcname}
\newfontface\gkftc{\gkftcname}
\newfontface\glftc{\glftcname}
\newfontface\gmftc{\gmftcname}
\newfontface\gnftc{\gnftcname}
\newfontface\goftc{\goftcname}
\newfontface\gpftc{\gpftcname}
\newfontface\gqftc{\gqftcname}
\newfontface\grftc{\grftcname}
\newfontface\gsftc{\gsftcname}
\newfontface\gtftc{\gtftcname}
\newfontface\guftc{\guftcname}
\newfontface\gvftc{\gvftcname}
\usepackage{polyglossia}
\setdefaultlanguage[numerals=tamil,changecounternumbering=true]{tamil}
\setotherlanguages{english}
\begin{document}
\begin{tabular}{rl}
\textenglish{\fztaname} & \huge\fzta\sampletext \
\textenglish{\fxtaname} & \huge\fxta\sampletext \
\textenglish{\fctaname} & \huge\fcta\sampletext \
\textenglish{\fvtaname} & \huge\fvta\sampletext \
\textenglish{\fbtaname} & \huge\fbta\sampletext \
\textenglish{\fntaname} & \huge\fnta\sampletext \
\textenglish{\fmtaname} & \huge\fmta\sampletext \
\textenglish{\fmmtaname} & \huge\fmmta\sampletext \
\
\textenglish{\ftbname} & \huge\ftb\sampletext \
\textenglish{\ftcname} & \huge\ftc\sampletext \
%\textenglish{\ftdname} & \huge\ftd\sampletext \
\textenglish{\ftename} & \huge\fte\sampletext \
\textenglish{\ftfname} & \huge\ftf\sampletext \
\end{tabular}
\newpage
\begin{tabular}{rl}
\textenglish{\gaftcname} & \huge\gaftc\sampletext \
\textenglish{\gbftcname} & \huge\gbftc\sampletext \
\textenglish{\gcftcname} & \huge\gcftc\sampletext \
\textenglish{\gdftcname} & \huge\gdftc\sampletext \
\textenglish{\geftcname} & \huge\geftc\sampletext \
\textenglish{\gfftcname} & \huge\gfftc\sampletext \
\textenglish{\ggftcname} & \huge\ggftc\sampletext \
\textenglish{\ghftcname} & \huge\ghftc\sampletext \
\textenglish{\giftcname} & \huge\giftc\sampletext \
\textenglish{\gjftcname} & \huge\gjftc\sampletext \
\textenglish{\gkftcname} & \huge\gkftc\sampletext \
\textenglish{\glftcname} & \huge\glftc\sampletext \
\textenglish{\gmftcname} & \huge\gmftc\sampletext \
\end{tabular}
\begin{tabular}{rl}
\textenglish{\gnftcname} & \huge\gnftc\sampletext \
\textenglish{\goftcname} & \huge\goftc\sampletext \
\textenglish{\gpftcname} & \huge\gpftc\sampletext \
\textenglish{\gqftcname} & \huge\gqftc\sampletext \
\textenglish{\grftcname} & \huge\grftc\sampletext \
\textenglish{\gsftcname} & \huge\gsftc\sampletext \
\textenglish{\gtftcname} & \huge\gtftc\sampletext \
\textenglish{\guftcname} & \huge\guftc\sampletext \
\textenglish{\gvftcname} & \huge\gvftc\sampletext \
\end{tabular}
\end{document}