CHENNAI: From his childhood, Shyam Sundar Srinivas had always dreamed of building a Tamil visual universe, one that is not only inspired by old Tamil classics but also creates new stories, characters, and cartoons that feel true to Tamil culture and meaningful for today’s children.
That dream became a reality with Imagine Tamil after three years of work. The platform is built by a passionate group of artists and features comics, stories, and much more. In a chat with DT Next, Shyam Sundar, the founder of Imagine Tamil, talks about the platform and how technology can be used effectively by children.
How do you design an illustrated lesson or activity so that it goes beyond decoration and helps learners understand vocabulary, grammar, or cultural context?
In Imagine Tamil, every illustration begins with a learning purpose. The first question is not how to make something attractive, but what the learner should understand or remember after seeing it.
That is why original characters were created as part of the learning world. Some of them include Thambi, a native Tamil boy; his black puppy, Kutti; and his wise grandmother, Paati.
These characters help learners experience Tamil through familiar relationships, simple conversations, and scenes that feel rooted in Tamil life. We also use an easy toggle system that lets learners switch between Tamil script, transliteration, English meaning, and native audio. This makes learning feel natural.
With younger generations spending more time on screens, do you see interactive platforms as a necessary evolution for keeping Tamil relevant and engaging?
Yes. Language has to exist where attention already exists. Children learn through visual and interactive environments, so Tamil also needs a welcoming digital doorway.
A family living anywhere with internet access should be able to begin learning in a structured way. The aim is to present it in a form that today’s generation enjoys returning to.
What differences have you observed in how new learners engage with Tamil when it is taught through visuals, stories or games compared to conventional methods?
One of the biggest differences is that hesitation reduces quickly when meaning is understood visually first.
A child sees the meaning before worrying about script or pronunciation. Research in visual learning often shows that words paired with images stay in memory much more effectively than words learned only through text.
That is why learners often recall Tamil words faster when they first encounter them through scenes, characters, or comics.
Do these digital visual platforms help bridge gaps for non-native speakers or the Tamil diaspora who may not have access to formal Tamil education?
Many Tamil families living outside India want their children to remain connected to the language, but often they do not have easy access to structured Tamil teaching nearby.
Imagine Tamil helps by providing a single platform where lessons, audio, illustrations, flashcards, comics, and practice tools are all available together. Even a parent who is not fully confident in teaching Tamil in a structured way can begin introducing the language step by step through the platform.
We have already seen small community groups use our platform in New Zealand, parts of West Africa, and Scandinavian regions, places where strong Tamil sangam infrastructure may not always be available, but where there is still a genuine effort to keep Tamil alive through small learning circles.
Tamil has abstract ideas, idioms, and cultural nuances. What are the challenges in translating these into illustrations or interactive formats?
One important decision was to first build an authentic Tamil universe before teaching deeper language concepts.
That is why the learning world includes familiar characters, relationships, and visual settings, such as a traditional Tamil village environment.
For example, while teaching fruit names in Tamil, the lesson does not stop with vocabulary alone. Fruits are shown growing in a native garden, and learners also understand why certain fruits, such as mango, jackfruit, and banana, hold cultural significance, or how banana leaves are used during Tamil celebrations and meals.
This helps learners feel that Tamil words are not separate from lived experiences.
How do you see technology shaping the next phase of Tamil language learning online?
The next phase of Tamil learning will move into more immersive environments where language is experienced continuously.
AI can certainly make learning more engaging through personalised lesson flows, conversational tutoring, and intelligent guidance that feels like a dedicated companion throughout each child’s learning journey.
However, I strongly believe that even advanced technology will continue to depend on human creativity and strong artistic foundations.