Tamil Nadu HEIs told to follow govt's guidelines on reciting 'Thamizh Thaai Vaazhthu'

The latest order to the HEIs came after Reserve Bank officials allegedly remained seated when the State song 'Thamizh Thaai Vaazhthu' was played during the Republic Day celebrations.

A senior official from the Higher Education Department told DT Next on Friday that a detailed official communication, which was enclosed with the government's order in connection with guidelines of reciting of 'Thamizh Thaai Vaazhthu', has been sent to all State-run universities, government and self-financing Engineering, Polytechnic, Arts and Science colleges to adopt rules.

"We have instructed the vice-chancellors and principals of the HEIs to ensure that all the guidelines should be followed during the functions and occasions," he added.

Stating that the institutions were also instructed the song should be recited compulsorily during functions held on the campus, the official said that the management of the institutions should also ensure and instruct the participants to stand up when the state song was recited.

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The official, however, said that differently-abled persons and pregnant women were exempted from standing during the song was recited in the functions.

Citing the government order, the official said 'Thamizh Thaai Vaazhthu', which was composed by Manonmanian Sundarnar, could be recited by trained staff or students instead of playing the recorded one. Accordingly, the song should be recited for 55 seconds in 'Mohana Ragam' and in 'Thisra Thalam'.

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"It was also told that singing 'Thamizh Thaai Vaazhthu' should also be encouraged among the students," he said.