Chennai: DMK Working President M K Stalin on Monday demanded that the Union Government fund the remaining amount that is needed to set up an exclusive endowment chair for Tamil language at the prestigious Harvard University in Massachusetts in the United States.
His statement came three days after the Tamil Nadu Government pledged Rs10 crore for setting up the Tamil chair at the university. According to the fundraisers, so far more than Rs 30 crore out of the Rs 40 crore that is need has been collected as way of contributions from governments, organisations and individuals.
“The Union Government should contribute the remaining amount that is needed to set up the Tamil chair at Harvard University as the Tamil Nadu Government has announced it would give Rs 10 crore for the purpose,” Stalin wrote on Twitter. The Harvard chair, once established, is expected to give “huge impetus” to research in one of the oldest languages of the universe, preserve palm manuscripts in digital format using world-class infrastructure and carry out comparative studies with other classical languages.
The contribution by the Tamil Nadu Government came after two US-based Tamil-origin doctors made an appeal seeking generous contributions from Tamil speaking people across the globe. Cardiologist V Janakiraman and his oncologist friend Thirugnanasambandam have already contributed close to Rs. 3.50 crore each as seed money for the project that will cost Rs. 40 crore including a recruitment fee and a running fee.
Tamil joins the elite club of six other classic languages – Sanskrit, Hebrew, Chinese, Latin, Greek and Persian – that have exclusive chairs at the Harvard University. Stalin’s statement also came a day after actor Vishal contributed Rs 10 lakh for the purpose and music maestro A R Rahman donating entire money (Rs 16 lakh) collected for a concert.
