Kashi Tamil Sangamam elicits letters of appreciation from participants; PM Modi writes back to hundreds

While inaugurating the programme, Modi had underlined that Kashi and Tamil Nadu were “timeless centres of our culture and civilisation”

April 03, 2023 07:09 pm | Updated 08:56 pm IST - NEW DELHI

File photo of Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and other disnitaries during the inauguration of Kashi Tamil Sangamam, in Varanasi, on November 19, 2022.

File photo of Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and other disnitaries during the inauguration of Kashi Tamil Sangamam, in Varanasi, on November 19, 2022. | Photo Credit: PTI

Months after the conclusion of the Kashi Tamil Sangamam, a month-long programme organised in Varanasi in November 2022, hundreds of letters of appreciation from participants to Prime Minister Narendra Modi have been received and are still being delivered.

According to government sources, efforts have been made by Mr. Modi to respond to each. “Kashi has had a long and enduring connection with the people of Tamil Nadu, who have added to the rich tapestry of culture and civilisation of the place. Kashi Tamil Sangamam has rekindled those historic memories and reiterated how deeply connected the various regions of our country are,” Mr. Modi wrote to one correspondent.

In his responses to the various letters, the Prime Minister emphasised that in the 75th year of Independence, termed ‘Amrit Kaal’, efforts to build a developed India need to be strengthened. “Every effort to deepen the unity of our country is important,” he wrote in his responses.

The Kashi Tamil Sangamam was organised by the Ministry of Education and the Government of Uttar Pradesh with support from Central universities like IIT-Madras and the Banaras Hindu University (BHU). Students, scholars from Kashi and Tamil Nadu participated in the month-long programme which explored commonality in culture and connections between the two regions.

In his speech inaugurating the programme, Mr. Modi underlined that Kashi and Tamil Nadu were “timeless centres of our culture and civilisation”. He said both Sanskrit and Tamil were two of the most ancient languages that exist. “In Kashi, we have Baba Vishwanath, while in Tamil Nadu we have the blessings of Lord Rameshwaram. Both Kashi and Tamil Nadu are immersed in Shiva,” he said in his speech.

Following this programme, a “Saurashtra Tamil Sangamam” will take place mid-April in Gujarat, on similar lines, for which preparatory events have already been held in Salem.

Also Read | Centre launches programme to strengthen Kashi-Tamil Nadu bond

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