NE EDUTAINMENT BUREAU
CHENNAI, OCT 29
When ancient wisdom competes for the attention of a generation raised on reels, rapid-fire quizzes and digital entertainment, can a 2,000-year-old literary masterpiece still capture young imaginations? Shriram Group’s ‘Kuralukkum Amudhendru Per’ seeks to answer that question by bringing the timeless couplets of Thiruvalluvar into the exciting world of television game shows. By transforming literary engagement into a contest of knowledge, articulation and quick thinking, this initiative offers a refreshing way to make Tamil’s classical heritage relevant to contemporary youth.
- Shriram Group’s ‘Kuralukkum Amudhendru Per’ brings Thirukkural to the small screen in an engaging 13-episode format
- 5,620 students participate in a 12-zone talent hunt across Tamil Nadu and Puducherry
- Puthuyugam TV to telecast the show every Sunday from November 1 to January 24, 2027
- A creative blend of literature, learning and entertainment seeks to reconnect young minds with Tamil’s rich linguistic and cultural heritage
Produced by Shriram Group, the 13-episode game show will be telecast on Puthuyugam TV every Sunday from 9.30 am to 10 am, beginning November 1, 2026, and concluding on January 24, 2027.
Directed by G. Selva of nis creativezz and compered by Ramkumar Singaram, the programme seeks to combine the thrill of competition with the intellectual pleasure of exploring the Thirukkural.
The initiative has already demonstrated considerable reach. Shriram Group organised preliminary rounds of a talent hunt centred on the Thirukkural across 12 zones — Chennai, Vellore, Tambaram, Puducherry, Salem, Tiruchi, Madurai, Nellai, Tanjore, Thiruvarur, Kovai and Erode — attracting 5,620 student participants.
The scale of this participation points to the potential of innovative educational formats to bring young people closer to classical literature, provided learning is made engaging, accessible and participatory.
Why this initiative matters beyond television
The Thirukkural, attributed to the revered Tamil poet-philosopher Thiruvalluvar, comprises 1,330 couplets arranged in 133 chapters. Its three sections explore virtue, material life and love, addressing questions of personal conduct, relationships, public life and ethical responsibility. The Central Institute of Classical Tamil describes it as a major work of Tamil ethical literature with a universal outlook.
At a time when educators and parents are seeking ways to sustain young people’s interest in reading, language and cultural inheritance, a programme that places classical Tamil at the heart of popular entertainment has particular relevance.
First, it makes heritage participatory. Instead of treating the Thirukkural merely as a prescribed text to memorise for examinations, a game-show format can encourage students to interpret its ideas, relate them to everyday situations and express their understanding confidently.
Second, it strengthens language through use. Engaging with classical Tamil can nurture vocabulary, comprehension, articulation and an appreciation of literary expression. When students explain the meaning and contemporary relevance of a couplet, language becomes a living instrument of thought rather than simply a subject in the classroom.
Third, it connects generations. Parents, grandparents, teachers and children can watch together, discuss the couplets and exchange interpretations. Such shared experiences can help transmit cultural knowledge within families and communities.
Fourth, it demonstrates how cultural preservation can embrace modern media. Television and digital platforms need not compete with traditional literature; they can become vehicles for introducing it to audiences who might otherwise have limited exposure to classical works.
The challenge is not merely to help young people recite the Thirukkural, but to encourage them to understand its insights and apply them thoughtfully in contemporary life.
A model worth extending
The initiative also raises an important question for Tamil education and cultural institutions: can similar edutainment formats be developed around Sangam literature, Tamil epics, folk traditions, classical poetry, regional history and the contributions of distinguished Tamil scholars?
Schools, colleges, broadcasters, publishers and cultural organisations could explore complementary initiatives involving quizzes, debates, storytelling, creative writing and digital learning. Such programmes would help ensure that Tamil’s literary inheritance remains accessible to younger generations while retaining its depth and authenticity.
The larger lesson is clear: preserving a language requires more than celebrating its past. It calls for creating opportunities for the next generation to read it, speak it, question it, enjoy it and carry its wisdom forward.
With its blend of competition and classical learning, ‘Kuralukkum Amudhendru Per’ offers an encouraging example of how entertainment can serve a deeper educational and cultural purpose.
The ultimate test of this initiative will be whether the excitement of the game show inspires young viewers to return to the Thirukkural long after the television is switched off. If it succeeds in turning curiosity into sustained engagement with Tamil literature, its impact could extend well beyond 13 episodes.