Tue Feb 18 20:18:19 UTC 2025: **Tamil Nadu Governor Criticizes Lack of Bharathiar Initiatives in State Universities**
Chennai, February 19, 2025 – Tamil Nadu Governor R.N. Ravi on Tuesday accused Vice-Chancellors of state universities of facing pressure and threats when attempting to implement certain initiatives, specifically highlighting the lack of research and promotion of the works of late poet Subramania Bharathi. He questioned why Tamil Nadu universities haven’t established a Bharathiar Chair, contrasting this with the existence of one at Banaras Hindu University.
Governor Ravi made these remarks during a felicitation ceremony for Padma Shri awardee Seeni Viswanathan, known for his work compiling Bharathi’s literary works. He criticized what he called “hollow rhetoric” from those claiming to champion Tamil language and culture without contributing meaningfully. He emphasized the importance of preserving and promoting Tamil’s rich literary heritage and urged society to take ownership of Bharathi’s legacy.
The Governor cited Raj Bhavan’s own initiatives, including the installation of a Subramania Bharathi statue, state-level essay competitions, and the renaming of the Durbar Hall as Bharathiar Mandapam, as examples of active promotion. He also stressed the importance of translating Bharathi’s works into other Indian languages, stating that Bharathi’s legacy belonged to all of India. The Governor’s statement highlights a significant disagreement between the state government’s approach to the promotion of Tamil literary heritage and his own views.
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