CHENNAI: Governor RN Ravi on Friday said Tamil and Sanskrit, two ancient languages of the country, have gained by sharing words. “Some people ask which language is the oldest? Tamil or Sanskrit? This question has not been resolved. We are not getting into it.
The fact is that Sanskrit has taken a lot of words from Tamil, and Tamil has taken a lot of words from Sanskrit. Both languages mutually benefitted each other,” the governor said while interacting with the students from Bihar who met him as part of the Phase II of Yuva Sangam, an initiative by the Union government to strengthen people-to-people connect especially among the youth across the country.
The Yuva Sangam focuses on conducting exposure tours of youth, comprising mainly students studying in higher educational institutions and some off-campus youngsters from across the nation, to various states in India.
Introducing Tamil Nadu to the students from Bihar, Ravi said, “Tamil Nadu is the place with the most ancient living civilisation and the most ancient language. Tamil language is not only old but very rich and powerful.”
The governor added, “TN is not adequately understood and appreciated in some of the northern parts of the country because of ignorance. And, I must confess that during my stay here, every day I am more and more fascinated by learning more things about this place.”
In reply to a question from a student, the governor said he got married at a young age, and that his wife is a pillar of strength to him always. “Mine is a child marriage, and she has not gone to college. But she is the pillar of my strength. I can take on the world, I don’t care... When I come home, there’s someone to stand by me. Nothing else. You don’t need anything else,” Ravi added.