It’s not a happy Tamil New Year this time

(January 16, Chennai, Sri Lanka Guardian) Chief Minister M Karunanidhi has come to the rescue of low level recognition for Tamil New Year this year.The State government had earlier announced that the Tamil New Year would be celebrated along with Pongal festival instead of on 14 April.

The Chief Minister said, ‘this year, we could celebrate Tamil New Year Day only to some extent because at this time Tamils were suffering on the other side’, he said apparently referring to Sri Lankan Tamils.

Distributing State-level literary and social awards to various personalities, who worked for the cause of Tamil language here on Thursday, he said from next year onwards, the people should celebrate the Tamil New Year in a grand manner. ‘Fire crackers should be displayed at the seasore and at each state district headquarters’, he added.

Earlier, he presented Tiruvalluvar award to Dr Porkho, Periyar award to Guanasekaran, Ambedkar award to writer Solai alais K Somasundaram, the Anna award to a Maaimalayan, the Kamarajar award to A gopanna, Bharatiyar award to R Manian, Bharatisadan award to Tamizhhachhi Thangapandian, Thiru Vi.Ka award to S P Arulanandam and the KAP viswanathan award to Professor T Pazhamalai.

Each of the awards carried a citation, a shawl, Rs one lakh in cash and a gold medal. The Chief Minister also gave away cash prizes to authors of best books the its publishing houses on the occasion.

Felicitating the writers, Karunanidhi said that the cash component of the award was the State’s gesture to reach out to writers and activists who had spent a lifetime in the service of the language.

Dwelling on the reasons as to why the awards were named after Tamil scholars and statesmen of yesteryears, Karunanidhi said that because this was done, the image of the leaders and scholars also came to one’s mind when the awards were being distributed.

Finance Minister K Anbazhagan and Information Minister Parithi Illamvazhuthi also spoke on the occasion. - Sri Lanka Guardian