R ARIVANANTHAM
CHENNAI, APR 9
Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi had learnt the world’s oldest language Tamil only to study Saint Thiruvalluvar’s ‘Thirukkural’. And Gujarat Vidyapith, set up by Gandhiji in Ahmedabad, has been the only institute in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s home state teaching Tamil and other regional languages.
Ever since he became the PM in 2014, Modi has been speaking about the richness of Tamil language in all forums and quoting ‘Thirukkural’ in all his speeches globally too.
- Like Hindi Prachara Sabha, Tamil Propagation Council will be run by a team of Tamil scholars with independent powers.
- Tamil Propagation Council is the dream project of PM Modi as he is ardent lover of Tamil
- This will create more employment opportunities for those who get diploma and graduation in Tamil from TPC
Incidentally, Saint Thiruvalluvar’s statue was unveiled on the campus of upcoming Tamil school building in Maninagar Assembly constituency, which was represented by Modi as chief Minister of Gujarat, by TN Minister for Tamil Development Thangam Thennarasu and Gujarat MoS Cottage Industries, Co-Operation, Salt Industries, Protocol (Independent Charge), Industries, Road and Building, Forest, Environment And Climate Change, Printing And Stationery Jagdish Ishwarbhai Vishwakarma (Panchal) on February 12 this year.
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Tamil Nadu Government led by DMK Chief MK Stalin is bearing the entire cost of constructing Gujarat’s only Tamil school campus.
With a view to promote the national integration, Gandhiji had set up Dakshin Bharat Hindi Prachar Sabha in 1918 in Chennai and got it inaugurated by Annie Besant on June 17, 1918. Now, this century old institute autonomous runs various Hindi courses, right from foundation to post-graduate levels. This is fully funded by the Centre.
Taking this as cue, Modi has planned to set up Tamil Propagation Council in all states which will help in spreading Ek Bharat Shrestha Bharat Initiative in every nook and corner of the country.
Like Hindi Prachara Sabha, Tamil Propagation Council will be run by a team of Tamil scholars with independent powers.
“Tamil Propagation Council is the dream project of PM Modi as he is ardent lover of Tamil. Bharatiya Bhasha Samiti under the Ministry of Education is drafting the curriculum for this project,” says sources in the Education Ministry.
It is expected that the Parliament will enact a law in this regard. This will create more employment opportunities for those who get diploma and graduation in Tamil from TPC.
99th episode of Mann Ki Baat and Modi
My dear countrymen, in our country, with the passage of time, according to the situation and circumstances, many traditions develop. These traditions increase the strength of our culture and also give it new vitality daily. A few months ago, one such tradition started in Kashi. During the Kashi-Tamil Sangamam, the centuries-old historical and cultural ties between Kashi and the Tamil region were celebrated.
Saurashtra-Tamil Sangamam from April 17 to April 30
The spirit of ‘Ek Bharat-Shreshtha Bharat’ gives strength to our country. When we know and learn about each other, this feeling of oneness strengthens. With this spirit of unity, ‘Saurashtra-Tamil Sangamam’ will be held in different parts of Gujarat next month. The ‘Saurashtra-Tamil Sangamam’ will run from April 17 to 30.
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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 ‘Saurashtri Tamil’. Even today, some glimpses of Saurashtra can be found in their food habits, lifestyle and social rituals. Many people from Tamil Nadu have written appreciative letters to me regarding this event. Jayachandran ji, who lives in Madurai, has written something very poignant. He said that – “After a thousand years, for the first time someone has thought about the Saurashtra-Tamil relations, and brought to the fore the people who settled in Tamil Nadu from Saurashtra.” Jayachandran’s words are the expression of thousands of Tamil brothers and sisters.
