NEW DELHI: Union Education Minister Pralhad Joshi, on Thursday launched the registration portal for the fifth edition of Kashi Tamil Sangamam (KTS 5.0) slated to take place from November 28 to December 12 this year.
An official release from the Ministry said, “The programme will celebrate, reaffirm and strengthen the age-old civilisational bonds between Tamil Nadu and Kashi, the two ancient seats of learning, strengthening the spirit of Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat.”
The theme of KTS 5.0 is Thirukkural Payilvom – Thirukkural Abhyas Karen” (Let us learn the Thirukkural). “It aims to bring the timeless ethical and moral wisdom of the classical Tamil text Thirukkural closer to the youth and learners across the country,” the release said.
Joshi said the country had a strong cultural unity since ancient times with many people visiting Kashi and Rameswaram as part of their religious traditions, reflecting the deep-rooted cultural bonds between the northern and southern parts of India.
“The programme would bring together students, teachers, writers, professionals, agriculturalists, artists, women and spiritual scholars,” he said. He also highlighted that educational outreach initiatives would be carried out in higher education institutions to familiarise students with the objectives of KTS.
The first KTS was held in 2022 and over the last four editions, it facilitated meaningful exchanges of knowledge, language, traditions and lived experiences between the two regions.
Initiatives under KTS 5.0
A nationwide Students’ Engagement Programme will be undertaken through 1,000 Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) across the country to promote wider understanding of the Thirukkural among students from diverse academic disciplines and linguistic backgrounds. Thirukkural experts from Tamil Nadu will visit various schools and colleges in Varanasi and introduce the students to the core values of the text through orientation modules, interactive sessions, quiz etc.
The National Book Trust in association with the Rashtriya e-Pustakalaya will conduct interactive sessions in schools in Varanasi on reading habits, story-telling and creative activities. KTS 5.0 will also leverage technology to make the teachings of the Thirukkural accessible to a wider audience across India.
As part of the programme, around 1,400 participants from Tamil Nadu, split into seven groups, will undertake an eight-day journey to pilgim towns including Varanasi, Prayagraj and Ayodhya. The emphasis on youth participation will enable a new generation to engage meaningfully with India’s classical knowledge traditions and carry their values into contemporary academic, professional and social life, the release added.
How to register:
Interested applicants may register through the official portal at https://kashitamil.iitm.ac.in/ hosted by IIT Madras with effect from Thursday (October 22).
The portal will accept applications till November 13 under these seven categories: (i) Students, (ii) Teachers, (iii) Writers and Media Professionals, (iv) Agriculture and allied sectors, (v) Professionals and artisans, (vi) Women and (vii) Spiritual leaders.
The event is organised by the Department of Higher Education in the Education Ministry in collaboration with IIT Madras; Banaras Hindu University, Central Institute of Classical Tamil, Chennai, Uttar Pradesh Government and Central Government departments/Ministries of Culture, Railways, School Education, Tourism, Textiles, Food Processing Industries, Information & Broadcasting, Skill Development & Entrepreneurship among others.
