Delegates for Kasi Tamil Sangamam greeted by Railway officials at Coimbatore and Salem Junction railway stations

Send-off for delegates of Kasi Tamil Sangamam at Varanasi, an initiative to uphold 'Ek Bharat Shreshta Bharat', by Railway officials.

Delegates from Coimbatore and Salem bound for Kasi Tamil Sangamam at Varanasi, an initiative by the Ministry of Education, Government of India, to uphold the spirit of ‘Ek Bharat Shreshta Bharat’ (One India, Excellent India), were given a send-off by Railway officials on Monday morning.

Thirty-five delegates boarded the Coimbatore – Varanasi Special Train (No.06111) at Coimbatore Junction where they were greeted by M. Boopathiraja, Senior Divisional Commercial Manager; Pawan Kumar Verma, Station Director, Coimbatore Junction, and other railway officials. At Salem Junction railway station, Sudarshan Bhatt, Divisional Commercial Manager, and other senior officials gave a send off for 48 delegates. The delegates for ‘Kasi Tamil Sangamam 2023’, include students, teachers and cultural experts.

Organised by the IIT Madras and Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, the second edition of the event envisages tracing of bonds between Varanasi and Tamil Nadu.

The Ministry of Education has aligned the event to the vision of National Educational Policy-2020 to rediscover ancient knowledge and integrating them with modern thought, philosophy, academics, technology, entrepreneurship, and craftsmanship to create a valuable body of knowledge, while being rooted in the Indian culture and ethos.

The Kashi Tamil Sangamam has been conceptualised as a platform for direct interaction between scholars, experts and practitioners of various trades, crafts and professions for exchanging their expertise and best practices and learn from each other. This knowledge transfer, according to the Ministry, leads to new innovations, new craftsmanship, new ways of doing business, and innovation in technology.

According to IIT-Madras, the delegate itinerary will include two days each for onward and return journeys; two days at Varanasi and one day each at Prayagraj and Ayodhya. There will be stalls exhibiting art and culture, handlooms, handicrafts, cuisine, and other special products of Tamil Nadu and Kashi. Cultural programmes blending the cultures of Tamil Nadu and Kashi will be organized at the Namo Ghat in Varanasi.

During this period, there will be academic exchanges - seminars, discussions, lectures, on various facets of knowledge like literature, ancient texts, philosophy, spirituality, music, dance, drama, yoga, Ayurveda, handlooms, handicrafts as well as the modern innovations, trade exchanges, edutech and other gen next technology.