The life and achievements of Thiruvarut Pirakasa Vallalar and Mahatma Gandhi were worth emulating by each and every citizen of the country, said Sirpi Balasubramaniam, Sahitya Akademi awardee and former Head of the Department of Tamil, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore. He was delivering the Thiruvarut Pirakasa Vallalar and Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Trust lecture organised by the Department of Tamil of Periyar University here on Saturday.
Dr. Balasubramaniam, who spoke on the topic ‘Vazhvikka vantha Gandhi’ recalled the yeoman service rendered by Gandhiji and great Tamil poets and scholars such as Vallalar, Manonmaniam Sundaram Pillai, and Vethanayagam for the whole of humankind through patriotism and renowned literary works.
Gandhiji accorded priority to the Tamils and Tamil language. On the importance of Tirukkural, he said that one more generation was needed for teaching the principles of Tirukkural to the next generation.
V. Mohamad Siddhik of Dharmapuri who delivered a lecture on ‘Vaalalarum Jeevakarunyamum’ explained the achievements of Vallalar and his Tamil works which have been hailed in various quarters. C. Swaminathan, Vice Chancellor, underlined the importance of such endowment lectures to disseminate the achievements of great leaders and scholars of the past to the present day younger generation.
T. Periasamy, Professor and Head of the Department of Tamil, offered felicitations.
