Why are Tamils protective of their language?

Tamil is one of the very few languages of the world with a classical past and a robust literary tradition that has continued to this day. Despite many foreign occupations of the Tamil country and other outside influences, this noble language has always shined, producing vibrant literature for over 2 thousand years.

Why are Tamilians (also known simply as Tamils), protective of the Tamil language? The video by “Harvard Tamil Chair Inc” gives 11 reasons why Tamil qualified for a chair at Harvard University.

Unfortunately qualification isn’t enough.

Harvard Tamil Chair is a non-profit initiated by two US based physicians, Dr. Vijay Janakiraman and Dr. Sundaresan Sambandam, who have donated a sum of $1 million together. Launched in 2015, the organisation is working on raising a total of six million US Dollars to fund a dedicated department for Tamil language at the prestigious university.

The 380 year old Ivy League university already has a 100 year old Sanskrit chair.

They have reached out to the Tamil community and the government of Tamil Nadu to raise the remaining amount. So far $2.36 million has been committed, with the remaining balance to be raised by July 2018. Not long to go!

To find out more about the Harvard Tamil Chair, please visit their website: harvardtamilchair.org