Not against any language, only its imposition, says Chief Minister Stalin
The Hindu
Stalin presented the Isai Perarignar title on Vidhushi S. Sowmya and the title of Pann Isai Perarignar on B. Sargurunathan, the Oduvar of the Kapaleeswarar Temple in Mylapore
Chief Minister M. K. Stalin on Wednesday reiterated he was not against any language but only opposed the imposition of a language. People were welcome to learn any number of languages.
Speaking at the inauguration of the 80th annual Tamil Isai festival of the Tamil Isai Sangam, Chennai, he said that he was stressing the importance of knowing the language since the language of any community was its bloodline and if a language dies, the community would also die.
He urged the Tamil Isai Mandram and its honorary secretary A. C. Muthiah to show the way to have more mandrams for Tamil Isai. There have been many great people, including Subramania Bharathi, Tamizh Thatha U. Ve. Sa, Bharathidasan, Rajaji, T.K.C, R. K. Shanmuganar and C.N. Annadurai who had contributed to the growth and development of the language. In the same line was Raja Annamalai Chettiar, who in 1849 presented ₹16,000 for starting the Tamil Isai Sangam. It was started in 1943 and the Raja Annamalai Mandram was opened in 1952. His sons Raja Sir Muthiah and M.A. Chidambaram served Tamil and music immensely, Mr. Stalin said.
He also recalled the family’s contribution in three sectors in the State — education with the establishment of the Annamalai University in Chidambaram, setting up of the Indian Bank and the Tamil Isai Sangam for music.
Mr. Stalin presented the Isai Perarignar title on Vidhushi S. Sowmya and the title of Pann Isai Perarignar on B. Sargurunathan, the Oduvar of the Kapaleeswarar Temple in Mylapore.
Ms. Sowmya recalled how she had come to the TIS along with her guru Dr. S. Ramanathan in 1980 and had received the Gopalakrishna Bharathi prize in 1983 when she was just 13. Nagaswaram Vidhwan Namagiripettai Krishnan had handed over the Tambura to her. She was also a student of the TIS and had learnt under Somasundara Oduvar, she added.
Ministers Durai Murugan and P.K. Sekarbabu, Mr. Muthiah and TIS president E. Sundaramoorthy were present on the occasion.
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