CHENNAI: Chief Minister MK Stalin on Friday said creators must be celebrated during their lifetime and pointed out that Tamil society has always recognised and honoured writers who champion social progress and upliftment. In that spirit, he said, former CM and DMK president M Karunanidhi not only made exceptional contributions to Tamil literature, but also encouraged and elevated other creators.
He was speaking at the inauguration of a two-day ‘Centenary Seminar on Muthamizharignar Kalaignar M Karunanidhi’ jointly organised by Sahitya Akademi and Jawaharlal Nehru University’s (JNU) Special Centre for Tamil Studies. Stalin said the event marked the “recognition of Kalaignar as the literary face of India”.
Highlighting initiatives to support writers, Stalin noted that the state has implemented the Kanavu Illam scheme to provide houses worth Rs 1 crore each to Sahitya Akademi award-winning writers. “So far, 15 scholars have benefitted from the scheme. Continuing this initiative, houses have now been allotted to 10 translators who have also received the Sahitya Akademi awards,” he said. “No other state has introduced such a scheme.”
Stalin also recalled that during his tenure as CM, Karunanidhi nationalised the works of 108 Tamil scholars and distributed royalties worth Rs 7.76 crore. “In the past four years, I have nationalised the works of 36 Tamil scholars and distributed Rs 4.25 crore in royalties,” he added.
“These seminars should not only celebrate Kalaignar but also inspire the creation of a society with egalitarian ideas and progressive thoughts, as he envisioned,” Stalin said. He further noted that Karunanidhi had created a Tamil chair at JNU, which has now developed into a full-fledged department. “We have allocated Rs 5.30 crore for it, and steps are under way to install a statue of Thiruvalluvar at JNU,” the CM added.
JNU vice-chancellor Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit praised Karunanidhi’s contributions to literature and cinema, saying, “In turning language into resistance, cinema into conscience, and literature into liberation, Kalaignar became more than an icon -- he is a legend.” She added the Thiruvalluvar statue at JNU will be unveiled by Stalin.