Tamil Nadu government sanctions Rs 10 crore for Tamil chair in Harvard University

The CM said that the move came following requests made to Jayalalithaa by two US-based Tamils.
Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu Edappadi K Palaniswami. | File EPS Photo
Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu Edappadi K Palaniswami. | File EPS Photo

CHENNAI: Ensuring the creation of a Tamil Chair in the renowned Harvard University, Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami on Friday granted Rs 10 crore as the Tamil Nadu government’s contribution. Besides, the State government will raise Rs 9.5 crore from philanthropists and Tamil enthusiasts to add to this fund for the Tamil Chair. The plan for creating the Chair was mooted by two US-based Tamil enthusiasts - Dr Vijay Janakiraman and Dr S T Sambandam.

“Within two or three days, we will be releasing the funds. Of the six million dollars required for creating the Chair, they have raised around three million and the rest of the three million dollars (around Rs 19.5 crore) has to be paid. Of this, the Tamil Nadu government today granted Rs 10 crore. We are making efforts to raise the rest of Rs 9.5 crore through the International Institute of Tamil Studies. We are going to approach philanthropists and Tamil enthusiasts in this regard,” Minister for Tamil Official Language and Tamil Culture K Pandiarajan told Express.

“Harvard University is the number one research university in the world. This is the seventh Chair for classical languages in that institution. Already, Chairs have been functioning for Sanskrit, Greek, Latin, Hebrew, Mandarin and Persian,” Pandiarajan added.

“Just after receiving the Tamil Nadu government’s contribution, the Harvard University will start doing works for creating the Chair. Besides, the university contributes an equal amount of six million dollars. We have time till June 2018 to raise the rest of Rs 9.5 crore,” the minister added.
By this contribution, the State government has also fulfilled the promise made by the late Chief Minister, J Jayalalithaa, during the 2016 Assembly elections. The creation of this Chair would contribute to researches on Indology and Tamil literature.

VCK general secretary D Ravikumar told Express that while granting such a huge sum towards creation of Tamil Chair, the State government should ensure that a Tamilian was appointed as the head of the Chair in Harvard University.

“Normally, on such occasions, foreign universities appoint Tamil scholars from other countries as the head of the Chair. But the Tamil Nadu government should send a representation to Harvard University to appoint a Tamilian as its head,” Ravikumar said.

When asked about this demand, the minister said, “The VCK leader has made this with a good intention. But I wish a researcher-cum-teacher par excellence should head the Tamil Chair. I implicitly trust that Harvard university will choose a right personality to head the Chair.”

Film director V Gowthaman on Thursday submitted a memorandum to the chief minister pointing out that Rs 38 crore would be required for setting up the Tamil Chair. Already, Tamil enthusiasts have managed to collect Rs 18 crore and the State government should contribute Rs 20 crore to ensure the creation of this Chair. Following the government grant of Rs 10 crore, Gowthaman thanked the CM and requested him to grant Rs 10 crore more for the Chair.

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