Tamil writer D. Ravikumar paid rich tributes to DMK patriarch and former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi for his immense contribution to Tamil literature.
Speaking at a function organised at the Pondicherry Institute of Linguistics and Culture (PILC) in Lawspet here on Monday, Mr. Ravikumar said that Karunanidhi’s contribution for broad-basing and propagating the identity of Tamil language was historic.
“The contribution of Karunanidhi, popularly known as Kalaignar, cannot be elaborately discussed in a one day session because he championed the popularity of the language through various modes,” Mr. Ravikumar said. Karunanidhi defended the traditional features of the language and whenever there was a challenge to the significance of Tamil, the former Chief Minister was on the forefront to fight for the language on the basis of his deep knowledge of literature.
Mr. Ravikumar, who is the Editor of Manarkeni Publications, said that Karunanidhi had organised the World Tamil Conference in Coimbatore to focus on the fact that Tamil literature was of paramount importance.
He defended rationalist movement by highlighting the content of pieces and convincingly presented arguments that Tamil was a deep-rooted language across the world.
A rationalist to the core
Krishnaswamy Nachimuthu, senior researcher of Ecole Francaise D’Extreme-Orient, said that Karunanidhi was the product of the age when nationalism was transforming into linguistic nationalism in the Tamil land.
Karunanidhi chose the Dravidian ideology of Periyar and Anna coupled with his firm belief in rationalism, social justice and progressive proletarian ideology. But since he functioned in a democratic and peaceful society, he had to face strident opposition to implement the political thought on rationalism, the linguistic right of Tamils, federalism, social justice and equality and his penchant for populist welfare schemes of the poor to transform them into sustainable development.
“The former Chief Minister fought for the legitimate rights of Tamil language. He enriched the language and literature through his oratory and writing and will be remembered by generations of Tamils,” Mr. Nachimuthu added.
