NE NEWS SERVICE
CHENNAI, APR 28
During the rule of Muthamizh Vendargal (Three Tamil Kings) – Cheran, Chozhan and Pandian – they patronised Tamil language, culture and scholars. They also ruled the entire world. And now no more kingdoms but only democracy prevails.
Tamil has found a savior in Prime Minister Narendra Modi. As his ‘Mann Ki Baat, completing 100 episodes on Sunday, April 30, Tamil culture and language has found several mentions in his radio programme that is aired every month on Sundays.
Modi used the platform to throw light on the profundity and vastness of Tamil literature and language. He has expressed his deep appreciation for Tamil culture and language, stressing that every Indian should take pride in the fact that the world’s oldest language hails from India. He has shared his regret for not having learned Tamil, a language he deems beautiful and world-renowned.
Throughout the episodes, PM Modi has shared various examples illustrating the impact and contributions of Tamil people.
Mann Ki Baat has showcased collective efforts in Tamil Nadu such as the 20,000 women who united to revive the Nag river in Vellore, and the planting of Palmyra trees in Thoothukudi district to mitigate cyclones and protect the soil.
PM Modi also spoke of Taimmal ji from Trippur district, who generously donated money to refurbish school infrastructure.
The PM also highlighted the universal appeal of Thirukkural, an iconic Tamil text that serves as a life guide.
Through his radio programme, PM Modi continuously promotes Tamil culture and language, displaying its richness and inspiring others to appreciate and delve into its depth and splendour.
Some of the gems
October 25, 2015: TN numero uno in organ donation
He lauded the state of Tamil Nadu for its efforts towards the promotion of organ donation by stating that the state is No. 1 in the field. “By reducing the paper work, some of the states have made a good effort in speeding up the process involved in organ donation. Today, I can say that Tamil Nadu today ranks first in the field of organ donation.”
November 29, 2015: Resilient Tamils
The PM acknowledged the losses to the state due to torrential rains and said he had “full faith in Tamil Nadu’s potential and know that post this crisis it will rise again and speedily move forward”.
July 26, 2015: Peoples’ PM
Suchitra Raghavachari from Chennai urged the PM to speak on the topics of ‘Save Our Daughters’, Swachh Bharat and others. Acknowledging this, the PM asked citizens to send him suggestions of various topics for his address on August 15. “You can send in your suggestions through MyGov, letters to Radio or write letters to the PM’s office.”
December 27, 2015: Special scheme for differently abled
PM Modi believed that people with special needs are not handicapped as God has bestowed on them some special and unique powers and from there came the idea to replace the word ‘viklang’ with ‘divyang’ enabling their uplift through Sugamya Bharat.
February 26, 2017: Cuddalore blazes a new trail in prevention of child marriages
The PM appreciated the efforts of the citizens in Cuddalore, Tamil Nadu, who tried to prevent over 175 child marriages and have opened 55,000 to 60,000 accounts for girls under Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana.
December 26, 2021: Bravery of Tamils
The PM pointed out Shaurya Chakra awardee Group Captain Varun Singh was a braveheart who lost his life in the helicopter accident that also claimed the life of CDS Bipin Singh Rawat, his wife, and others from Tamil Nadu.
November 28, 2021: Conservation of nature
“Conservation of nature promotes our security in return. The people of Thoothukudi have started Palmyra trees that stand firm during cyclones and storms enabling protection,” the PM said.
September 26, 2021: Height of glory
Elaborating on the importance of cleaning rivers, the PM said “we can take the example of the womenfolk of the Vellore and Thirvannamalai districts in cleansing the Naagnadi river which had dried up completely”. He also mentioned a team of ‘divyangjans’, including Major Dwarkesh from Tamil Nadu, who hoisted a flag at 15,000 feet in the inaccessible region of the Siachen Glacier, showcasing high levels of determination.
August 29, 2021: Garbage waste illuminates village
Modi mentioned how a small panchayat, Kanjirangal, in Sivagangai district of Tamil Nadu, is a ‘model of wealth’ where they produce electricity through garbage wastes. The residual elements of the same is sold as pesticides and the revenue generated through the same is used for other developmental works.
July 25, 2021: Lending a helping hand to patients in hilly terrain
Radhika Shastri from Nilgiri started the Amburex Project with help from her colleagues to promote easy transport for patients requiring medical treatment in the hilly areas.
June 27, 2021: I am a big admirer of the Tamil language and culture, says PM
Guruprasad from Chennai compiled all references made by PM Modi on Tamil Nadu. On listening to this, the PM reverted by stating that he was a big admirer of the Tamil language and culture which is among the oldest in the world.
March 28, 2021: Pays homage to Tsunami victims
The PM paid homage to 14 people working in the lighthouses of Tamil Nadu and Andaman and Nicobar who lost their lives during the Tsunami in 2004.
February 28, 2021: PM lauds well rejuvenation
The PM talked about the local people in Thriuvannamalai who are running a campaign to conserve wells in the vicinity and their rejuvenation.
October 25, 2021: Land of holy places
Pilgrimage in India serves as a common thread that binds people. From Tripura to Gujarat and from Kashmir to Tamil Nadu we have several pilgrimage sites.
September 27, 2020: Preserving ‘Villu Paatu’ for posterity
In Tamil Nadu, Villu Paatu is a very fascinating style of describing local folklores and tales, the PM said. He also described the Tamil Nadu Banana Farmer Producer Company is a farmer’s collective from the Theni District of Tamil Nadu and has provided fruit and vegetable combo kits to the city of Chennai during the lockdown.
June 28, 2020: Pallanguli-the game of maths
The game ‘Pachisi’ which has a rich tradition is being played as ‘Pallanguli’ in Tamil Nadu.
April 26, 2020: A cut above the rest
KC Mohan who runs a salon in Madurai, Tamil Nadu, spent five lakh in the service of the poor and the underprivileged during the Covid-19 pandemic that he had saved for his daughter’s education, the PM said.
May 31, 2020: Health cover for all irrespective of state
The Ayushman Bharat Scheme intends to provide the same medical treatment facilities to a deprived in Maharashtra as well as Tamil Nadu.
February 23, 2020: PM quotes poetess Avvaiyar
The repertoire of the ‘Hunar Haat’ in Delhi also consisted of beautiful paintings from Tamil Nadu. PM quoted Tamil poetess, Avvaiyar, who says that ‘what we know is only a grain of sand, and what we do not is like a universe itself.’
January 26, 2021: Tamil Nadu forerunner in harnessing rain water
PM mentioned that the idea of harnessing rainwater harvesting using borewells orginated from Tamil Nadu. PM mentioned Yoganathan from Tamil Nadu who sells Beedis but his daughter Purnashree has bagged the gold medal in weightlifting.
November 24, 2019: Tamarabarani Pushkaram teaches the greatness of the river
PM mentioned Pushkaram, which is a festival in Tamil Nadu on river Tamarabarani, in which “the greatness of the river, the glory of the river, the importance of the river in our lives…all these are brought forth naturally.”
December 25, 2022: National integration & Kashi-Tamil Sangamam
He said the year 2022 will always be remembered as a year of furthering “Ek Bharat, Shreshta Bharat”. Events such as the Madhavpur Mela in Gujarat and the Kashi-Tamil Sangamam are a testimony to this.
October 30, 2022: Tribal women’s eco-friendly living rakes up forex
With the increasing relevance of eco-friendly living, a group of tribal women from Anaikatti village in Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu have created end-to-end terracotta cups for exports, which is a tremendous achievement, said the PM. In Tamil Nadu, there is a farmer in Kancheepuram, Thiru K. Ezilon. He took the benefit of ‘PM Kusum Yojana’ and got a solar pumpset of ten horsepower installed in his farm. Now they do not have to spend anything on electricity for their farm.
July 31, 2022: Vanchi Maniyachchi Junction
The PM mentioned about Vanchi Maniyachchi Junction in Thoothukudi in Tamil Nadu, which is named after a freedom fighter Vanchi, who at the age of 25 had punished a British Collector for his actions.
May 29, 2022: Tharagaigal Kaivinai Porutkal Virpanai Angadi
The PM talked about the initiative, ‘Tharagaigal Kaivinai Porutkal Virpanai Angadi’, which has about 22 Self-Help Groups associated with it to help open the stores and kiosks in Thanjavur in Tamil Nadu, giving a big boost to self-reliant India. PM Modi was given Thanjavur doll, which has a GI tag, as a gift.
March 27, 2022: Tamil Nadu bananas reach out to the world
Everyday new products from India are reaching foreign shores, including the bananas from Tamil Nadu. “Now, you will also find the world famous apricot of Ladakh in Dubai too and in Saudi Arabia, you will find bananas shipped from Tamil Nadu. Most importantly, an array of new products is being sent to ever newer countries,” Modi said.
February 27, 2022: Gujarati children sing Tamil patriotic songs
India has been able to bring back an invaluable part of its heritage. The idol of Lord Anjaneyaar, Hanuman, which was stolen from Vellore was retrieved from Australia. “Friends, in our history of thousands of years, idols, one better than the other were always being made in various parts of the country,” he said. On the 75th year of Independence, “we can have Gujarati children sing Tamil patriotic songs, enabling the idea of Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat”, he added. “The diversity of languages in India is a source of pride and is integrated into a harmonious expression. Indians should embrace their mother tongue and appreciate the richness of their linguistic heritage, including ancient scriptures written in Sanskrit and the world’s oldest language, Tamil.”
January 30, 2022: Coconut seller opens her wallet for school infra
The PM mentioned the “inspiring” story of Taimmal ji from Udumalpet from Tiruppur district in Tamil Nadu. She donated Rs 1 lakh from the sales of coconuts to improve the infrastructure of the local school.
January 29, 2023: ‘Utiramerur’ describes the entire procedure of the Gram Sabha
He said a snippet of India’s democratic traditions can be understood through the inscription found at ‘Utiramerur’– a small but famous village in Tamil Nadu — that describes the entire procedure of the Gram Sabha. “Here an inscription of 1100-1200 years ago surprises the whole world. This rock-edict is like a mini-constitution.” He also said the credit for Vedanthangal of Tamil Nadu to be designated as a Ramsar Site goes to the farmers of Tamil Nadu who enabled the conservation of birds in the region.
March 26, 2023: Vandarai vazha vaikkum Tamizhagam
On the 99th episode of Mann ki Baat, the PM mentioned about that the Kashi-Tamil Sangamam, which celebrates the Saurashtra-Tamil Sangamam. “Some listeners of ‘Mann Ki Baat’ must be wondering, what the relation of Saurashtra in Gujarat with Tamil Nadu is? Let me tell you, centuries ago many people from Saurashtra had settled in different parts of Tamil Nadu. These people are still known as ‘Saurashtrian Tamil’. Even today, some glimpses of Saurashtra can be found in their food habits, lifestyle and social rituals.
