You need to install any of the kannada unicode font to read or write kannada , commonly used unicode kannada font is AnjaliOldLipi True Type Font . Please following the instructions to install unicode kannada in your system.
There was no common kannada ascii structure for the old fonts. so each vendors use different kannada fonts with different keyboard layouts. this makes difficult with kannada users as they need to install each kannada font from different websites like malayala manoram (manoram.ttf) mathrubhumi.ttf etc..
Unicode font is international