CHENNAI: The University of Cambridge has launched a Global Tamil Studies initiative to expand international scholarship and teaching in the Tamil language. Based at the Centre of South Asian Studies (CSAS), the initiative brings together Cambridge and the Chennai-based Roja Muthiah Research Library (RMRL) to digitise and globally disseminate Tamil archival material. The collaboration will provide scholars with access to historical and twentieth-century photographs, books, drawings, cine film and audio recordings, expanding research on Tamil society, economy and culture.
A central component of the initiative is the proposed establishment of a Chair of Global Tamil Studies at Cambridge, which would provide long-term teaching and research leadership, including Tamil language instruction. At present, no British university has a full-time academic post dedicated to teaching Tamil. The state government has extended non-financial support to the proposed chair. Industries Minister TRB Rajaa said the programme would advance global teaching, research and preservation of Tamil knowledge systems.