VIT recalls contributions of scholars at birth anniv fete

CHENNAI: Tamil scholars Ki Aa Pe Viswanatham’s 124th birth anniversary and 114th birth anniversary C Ilakkuvanar were celebrated at the Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT) Chennai campus. The event was jointly arranged by the Tamil Iyakkam and VIT, Chennai.

VIT chancellor and Tamil Iyakkam founder president G Viswanathan chaired the event and the office-bearers of Tamil Iyakkam took part in the ceremony.

Addressing the gathering, Viswanathan said, “The reason two scholars are remembered for so many years is because of their service to Tamil and its people, which the public should read.”

He further said that former CM M Karunanidhi, CPI leader R Nallakannu, Tamil writer Pa Jayaprakasam, and former speakers Kalimuthu and Sedapatti Muthaiah were the disciples of Ilakkuvanar and they learned a lot from the scholar.

“Tamil Iyakkam is feeling proud to celebrate the birthdays of these two scholars. Tamil Iyakkam was founded not just for the development of the Tamil language but also for the development of Tamils,” Viswanathan added.

He further recalled that Tamil Iyakkam constituted a committee to explore the possibilities to devise a framework for the economical upliftment of Tamils.

K Srikanth of the Indian National Educational Institute and Dr Maraimalai Ilakkuvanar also addressed the ceremony.

Srikanth said Viswanatham voiced against the injustices. “Viswanatham stressed that superstitious thoughts will never help anyone to achieve big and hard work is the reason behind the success of everyone,” he added.

Maraimalai Ilakkuvanar praised the qualities of Ilakkuvanar and hard work to safeguard Tamil literature.