Kashi Tamil Sangamam fifth edition to celebrate Thirukkural across Varanasi, Prayagraj and Ayodhya

The fifth edition of the Kashi Tamil Sangamam will centre on the classical Tamil ethical work Thirukkural, running from 28 November to 12 December across Uttar Pradesh, the central government has announced.

Launching the official registration portal, Union Education Minister Pralhad Joshi said the gathering will celebrate and deepen the ancient civilisational connections uniting Tamil Nadu and northern India. Organised under the government's flagship Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat initiative, the event will bring 1,400 delegates from Tamil Nadu to Varanasi, Prayagraj and Ayodhya for an eight-day tour featuring academic, spiritual and cultural programmes.

Under the official theme "Thirukkural Payilvom – Thirukkural Abhyas Karen" ("Let us study the Thirukkural"), the programme seeks to introduce the Sangam-era text's 1,330 couplets on ethics, governance and daily life to younger generations throughout the country.

Nationwide study and campus internships

Alongside the visiting delegates, the government is rolling out an extensive youth initiative spanning 1,000 higher education institutions across India. A national test will select 1,000 college students for a month-long internship dedicated to researching and interpreting the moral teachings of the Thirukkural.

Each selected intern will receive a ₹10,000 stipend. Working under faculty guidance, students will study the text in their chosen language, deliver presentations, and write research papers through their institutions. The Central Institute of Classical Tamil will lead online orientation sessions, while scholars from Tamil Nadu will tour schools and colleges in Varanasi to conduct modules, quizzes and storytelling workshops alongside the National Book Trust.

Delegation categories and registration details

The 1,400 participants travelling from Tamil Nadu will be split into seven distinct cohorts of 200 members each, spending four days in transit and four days engaged in structured cultural visits.

Applications opened on 22 October and will run until 13 November through the portal hosted by the Indian Institute of Technology Madras.

Strengthening civilisational unity

First staged in 2022 as an initiative championed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Sangamam seeks to reaffirm India's foundational unity by bridging northern and southern cultural heritage. Speaking at the portal launch, Joshi pointed to ancient texts such as the Vishnu Purana to underline that the country's civilisational coherence has remained unbroken for millennia despite attempts by divisive forces to foster regional friction.

The programme is coordinated by the Union Education Ministry in partnership with IIT Madras, Banaras Hindu University, the Central Institute of Classical Tamil, the Uttar Pradesh government, and several central ministries including Railways, Culture, Tourism, and Information and Broadcasting.