Chief Minister M.K. Stalin called upon the Tamil diaspora in the U.S. to bring their children to Tamil Nadu at least once a year, and show them the State’s history and rich cultural heritage.
Reiterating his appeal to them to stay united, Mr. Stalin, who is on an official visit to the U.S., said: “I have a request. Please do not allow divisions [to creep in] among yourselves”.
He was addressing the Tamil diaspora in Chicago on Saturday (Sunday, Indian Standard Time), and urged them to excel in their profession through hard work and intelligence.
The Chief Minister urged them to show their children the towering statue of late Tamil poet-saint Tiruvalluvar in Kanniyakumari and the Keeladi archaeological museum in Sivaganga district, among others, and take them to other archaeological sites in the State such as Sivagalai, Korkai, and Porunai.
He further called upon them to contribute as much as they could to the State’s welfare.
Underlining the steps taken by the State government towards the welfare and safety of Tamils living and studying abroad, he said that during the past three years, 2,398 persons from Tamil Nadu who were stranded in other countries were repatriated to the State.
The Tamil Nadu government’s Verkalai Thedi programme had helped Tamil diaspora across the world renew their relationship with relatives in the State, he said.
He recalled late DMK leader and former Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi’s visit to the U.S. in 1971, to cities such as Washington, D.C., Orlando, Chicago, and New York.
Tamil Nadu’s Industries Minister T.R.B. Rajaa; Consul General of India in Chicago Somnath Ghosh; Non-Resident Tamils Welfare Board chairperson Karthikeya Sivasenapathy; and representatives of various Tamil associations, including the Federation of Tamil Sangams in North America, were present.
Published - September 09, 2024 12:19 am IST
