Annamalai University’s Tamil department recently hosted the launch of over 400 titles embodying the work of Tamil poets and lyricists.
At a workshop organised by the department, 430 books featuring poetry and lyrics were released by Higher Education Minister K.P. Anbazagan with Malaysia Government’s Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports Dutho.M. Saravanan, a special invitee, receiving the first copy from Industries Minister M.C. Sampath.
The titles have been brought out by Kalaignan Pathipagam publishers.
Making an interesting observation, Dutho.M. Saravanan pointed out that most of the literary works in Tamil were largely seen in relation only to the language and not in relation to its content.
“For instance, if one goes to a university library and asks for the Thirukkural, the librarian would direct us to the Tamil section. But Thiruvalluvar wrote on a variety of subjects, including management and political science. Hence, the general perspective on Tamil books must change from being mere language-oriented texts to texts related to its content”, he said.
Mr. Anbazagan, while stressing the importance of e-books and digital libraries into the future, said Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa had announced the creation of networked digital library systems for universities under the higher education department.
“Under this system, students of one university could read e-books available in other universities,” he said.
According to the the Minister, Tamil Nadu was doing very well in the higher education sector. The State had registered 44.8 per cent Gross Enrolment Ratio in higher education, which was higher than the national GER of 23.6 per cent. The situation would improve as a result of the Chief Minister’s emphasis on larger allocations (Rs. 24,129 crore in the 2016-17 Budget) for school education with an aim to curb the dropout ratio, he said.
MPs A. Arulmozhithevan and M. Chandrakasi, MLAs K.A. Pandian and N. Murugumaran were among the dignitaries.
D.B. Rajesh, District Collector, Cuddalore, S. Manian, Vice-Chancellor, Aranga. Pari, Head, Department of Tamil and Masilamani Nandan of Kalaignan Pathipagam also participated.
