CHENNAI: Chief Minister MK Stalin on Monday presented the Dr Kalaignar M Karunanidhi Semmozhi awards to two Tamil scholars. Luic Xavier, the Tamil scholar from France was awarded the Kalaignar Semmozhi award for the year 2022, but the awardee was absent.

The Kalaignar Semmozhi awards were presented for three years, from 2020 to 2022. M Rajendiran, former Vice Chancellor of Tamil University, was presented the award for 2020 and K Nedunchezhiyan, a Tamil scholar and former professor in Tamil University and Bharathidasan university was presented the award for 2021.

The award carried a cash reward of Rs 10 lakh along with a certificate of appreciation and statue of former Chief Minister M Karunanidhi.

Rajendiran, from Tiruvarur district, was the student of renowned Tamil scholar TV Gopal Iyer. He had completed his post graduate in Tamil literature at Pachayappa's College and obtained his doctorate by studying the Tamil manuscripts collected by Colin Mackenzie, a British officer who worked in India, in the 19th century.

Nedunchezhiyan is a well known author and his book 'Tamizharin Adayalangal' was given the best book award by the Tamil Development department in 2006. Xavier was the first foreign scholar to translate a Tamil work along with its metaphrase (Urai in Tamil) as he translated 'Tholkappiyam' along with the metaphrase given by Senavarayar.

Stalin, after presenting the awards, recalled the contribution made by DMK for Tamil and Tamil Nadu by saying that it was the DMK government that changed the name of Madras Presidency to Tamil Nadu and Madras to Chennai.

He also recollected the contribution made by the awardees for Tamil.

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