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ADDRESS BY HIS EXCELLENCY THIRU SURJIT SINGH BARNALA, GOVERNOR OF TAMIL NADU AT THE INAUGURATION OF THE WORLD CLASSICAL TAMIL CONFERENCE AT COIMBATORE ON 23.06.2010 AT 10.30 A.M

Vanakkam,

It’s a great pleasure for me to participate in this mega inaugural event of the World Classical Tamil Conference, release the Special Souvenir and address this distinguished gathering here today. 

It is befitting that this conference is inaugurated by Her Excellency Smt. Pratibha Devisingh Patil, the President of India - the first citizen of our country and is Presided over by Dr.Kalaignar, a prolific writer, a poet, a lyrist and an orator par excellence. Dr.Kalaignar is Tamil – Tamil is Dr.Kalaignar - Kalaignar and Tamil are inseparable. I congratulate him for his initiatives and sincere efforts to conduct this World Classical Tamil Conference.

Tamil is a beautiful language. I learnt writing Tamil from Nannan, a good teacher. Language is a medium of expression.  It is the vehicle of mind. It is not only for expression of thoughts, perceptions, sentiments and values but the language is also for social identity.

The quality of thought, beauty of the language, its growth through encounter and absorption have made Tamil a renowned classical language.  Tamil has the privilege of being an official language in Sri Lanka and Singapore and I am told that it is spoken in more than 55 countries in the world. The initiatives taken by Dr.Kalaignar to get Tamil a classical language status deserve commendation.

I congratulate Dr.Kalaignar for his sincere and dedicated efforts to create a ‘thematic logo’ for this World Classical Tamil Conference “PIRAPOKKUM ELLA UYIRKKUM” – All living humans are one in circumstance of birth”.

Saint Thiruvalluvar’s maxim is applicable to all and is relevant at all times. When Greek philosophers like Plato, Aristotle and others who succeeded them said “Justice” could not be defined, Thiruvalluvar had defined it much earlier “Justice dwells in minds of those who have knowledge of the standard of right and wrong”. Research reveals the coincidence of the message of Thiruvalluvar and those conveyed by Lord Mahavir, Guru Nanakji, Saint Kabir and others.

Thiruvalluvar in his couplet ‘PIRAPOKKUM’  says, “It is not birth but deeds that mark men and in an other couplet he says, “One is not great because of One’s birth in a noble family; One is not low because of One’s low birth”.

There are many similarities in what Thiruvalluvar and Shri Guru Nanak Devji said about family life, ingratitude, frivolous speech, bad company, perseverance, learning and ignorance.     

Thirukkural is the crown of Tamil language and the Sangam literature; the Sangam works, Kamba Ramayanam and Silapathikaram are the jewels of Tamil language. They bear testimony that Tamil language has the special claim for being a classical language.

The richness of Tamil and its growth is that as a hoary language it has its deep roots in almost all the important language families of the world. The development of a language depends on its reach, richness and growth, without losing its purity of standard and pristine form. This great and beautiful language has stood at all times and has been ever growing.

I am sure that this World Classical Tamil Conference would work on the modalities for further promotion of Tamil Studies and Tamil Research at a global level.

I congratulate Dr.Asko Parpola of Finland, the world renowned Indologist,  the recipient of ‘Kalaignar M.Karunanidhi Classical Tamil Award’, for Deciphering the Indus Script and for proposing Dravidian as the language of the Indus Script close to old Tamil. Dr.Kalaignar deserves commendation for his contribution of Rs.1 Crore for instituting this award.

I congratulate Dr.Kalaignar and the Government of Tamil Nadu and all those who are associated with this historic conference.

I am privileged to thank Her Excellency the President of India for inaugurating the World Classical Tamil Conference. It is a matter of great pride to associate myself in this inaugural function.

My greetings to all of you.

Jai Hind.

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