CHENNAI: After presenting the Navalar Thagaisal award at the VIT-Chennai campus on Saturday, Chancellor Dr G Viswanathan urged the Tamil Nadu government to institute an award in the name of ‘Navalar’ VR Nedunchezhiyan.
Viswanathan, who is also the president of Navalar-Sezhiyan Trust, thanked the State government for unveiling the statue of Dravidian stalwart Navalar Nedunchezhiyan. The function was jointly organised by the Navalar-Sezhiyan Trust and Tamil Literary Garden, Canada, along with VIT.
“Navalar Nedunchezhiyan spent his lifetime working for the uplift of Tamils and their rights. Tamils in various parts of the world should work together to take Tamil to the other parts of the globe and develop it in countries where it is already in use,” said Vishwanathan.
Professor Maraimalai Ilakkuvanar received the Navalar Thagaisal award for 2020 and poet ‘Erode’ Tamilanban received the award for 2021. The award consists of a citation and cash prize of `2 lakh each.