CHENNAI: Speakers at a meeting on Saturday lauded the contributions of late Japanese Tamil scholar Noboru Karashima, saying his research works threw new dimensions to the reconstruction of the history of the imperial Cholas.
Addressing a meeting, organised here to honour Noboru Karashima, who passed away last year, the speakers hailed him as an outstanding scholar, who dedicated his life for research on the ancient Tamils.
Noboru Karashima was president of the International Association for Tamil Research (IATR), which holds the World Tamil Conference (WTC). In 2010, Karashima refused to give consent to the then DMK Government to hold the WTC forcing the later to have jamboree as ‘World Classical Tamil Conference’.
C Santhalingam, Secretary of Pandiyanaatu Centre for Historical Research (PCHR, said Karashima was one of the pioneers in mentioning about the farmers’ agitations during the Chola era. “Perhaps, this brought the 1000-year-old ryots struggle to light. He had enhanced his research in areas which were missed by our scholars,” he underlined.
Hailing Karashima as a person, who taught him Tamil language, FUKAO. Junichi with the Consulate-General of Japan in Chennai, said he was a simple and peaceful person.
Speaking in fluent Tamil the Japanese said, “Even during his last days in hospital, Karashima was doing research in Tamil.” Among others who spoke ont eh occasion was Rajagopal who had retired from the Tamil Nadu Archaeology Department.