Minister awards U.Ve. Sa prize to Tamil scholar K.V. Balasubramanian

Finance Minister awards prestigious prizes, releases Sangam literature books at VIT Chennai event honoring Tamil scholars.

Finance Minister Thangam Thennarasu awarded the Dr. U.Ve. Sa prize to K.V. Balasubramanian, former department head at Tamil University, Thanjavur, and Mahavidwan Meenakshisundaram Pillai prize to M. Sivachandran, former principal, Dharmapuram Aadhinam Arts College, Mayiladuthurai, at the Vellore Institute of Technology, Chennai, on Wednesday.

The Minister also released a collection of books on Sangam literature on the occasion.

“U. Ve. Sa walked across Tamil Nadu, collecting Tamil manuscripts. Today, when people question our evidence for various names, we can show that in the Purananuru, the name Pandiyan Nedunchezhiyan is found in the Mangulam Tamil Brahmi inscriptions near Madurai. Sangam period names are found in our inscriptions...,” Mr. Thennarasu said.

He further said that today, Tamil had taken various forms. “Despite this, Tamil has not lost its identity and has continued to be integral to all this day. Not only today, but no matter how many ages come, Tamil will protect itself,” he added.

VIT founder-chancellor G. Viswanathan said, “Only the books of the Kadai Sanga were available among the Tamil books. Everything was written on leaves. They were scattered around. U.Ve.Sa spent 66 years collating manuscripts from around the State. It cannot be denied that the first grammar book in the world belongs to us. Sangam period literary texts should reach the entire country...”

Retired judge S. Jagadeesan, VIT vice-president G.V. Selvam and other members of the U.Ve. Swaminatha Iyer Library were also present at the event.