PM Narendra Modi quotes Tamil saint-poet Thiruvalluvar extempore, draws applause

Amidst applause, the Prime Minister during his address at the Defence Expo here, quoted Thiruvalluvar's couplet in Tamil extemporaneously, describing him as a celebrated poet-philosopher.

"Thottanaith thoorum manarkeni maandharku, kattranaithu thoorum arivu," he said and explained the essence of the couplet.

"In sand and soil the deep you delve you reach the spring below. The more you learn the freer streams of wisdom flow," he said.

Beginning his address with good morning in Tamil saying "Kaalai Vanakkam," Modi said this was the first time he was participating at a defence expo.

He said, "I am both delighted and overwhelmed to see such a gathering here in the great state of Tamil Nadu."

He said the place where the Defence expo was being held (Thiruvidanthai in Kanchipuram district) is historic.

He lauded Tamil Nadu as the land of our "glorious maritime legacy," in reference to the great Cholas and added "this is the land from where India looked east and acted east 1000s of years ago."