Varanasi students embrace Tamil through Government-led ‘Tamil Karkalam’ initiative

Students in government schools across Varanasi are showing enthusiasm and eagerness to learn Tamil and explore its rich cultural heritage, thanks to the special ‘Tamil Karkalam’ initiative , a government-led programme under the ongoing Kashi Tamil Sangamam 4.0 , which began on 2 December 2025 . The Sangamam, a flagship cultural programme launched by the Government of India, aims to strengthen the historical and cultural bonds between Tamil Nadu and Varanasi through language, art and heritage.

Sandhya Saikrishnan, a Tamil teacher at the Government Queens Inter College in Lahurabir and a Pracharak at the Dakshin Bharat Hindi Prachar Sabha in Chennai, said that the students were keen and excited to learn the language. She added that she had been teaching them over the last few days, and they were now able to communicate in basic Tamil.

The study materials provided by the Central Institute of Classical Tamil (CICT) , an autonomous government body under the Ministry of Education, were praised by her as “very helpful, simple, and easy to understand.”

Saikrishnan is among the 50 Hindi-speaking Tamil teachers recruited by CICT to teach Tamil in schools across Varanasi and nearby districts under the initiative.

Tanu Pal, a Class 9 student of the Government Queens Inter College, expressed her excitement at learning Tamil. She said that she was happy to have the opportunity and felt proud to know Hindi, Tamil, and English.

The programme is spearheaded by CICT, with support from the Uttar Pradesh government . Explaining the goal of the initiative, CICT Director R. Chandrasekaran said that Tamil was being taught to over 3,000 students for whom it was not their mother tongue. During a brief interaction with PTI, he revealed that plans were being made to offer the course online, making it accessible to students from Class 9 to 12 and anyone interested in learning the language.

Teachers are expected to visit nearly 50 schools in and around Varanasi over the next few weeks. Chandrasekaran added that Tamil would be taught to nearly 3,000 students under the government initiative, which is supported by the Ministry of Education and the Uttar Pradesh government.

To make learning quicker and more effective, CICT has launched a specially designed five-volume book series enabling students to pick up basic Tamil in just 15 days . The books have been crafted for independent study and to help students converse in Tamil after completing the training.

A dedicated stall at the Kashi Tamil Sangamam 4.0 venue is showcasing these study materials and spreading awareness about the initiative.

By the end of the conference, around 300 students from Varanasi will visit Tamil Nadu to immerse themselves further in the language and culture. Chandrasekaran added that the initiative is aimed at strengthening the deep-rooted cultural bond between Tamil Nadu and Varanasi , which has existed for decades.