LANGUAGE LABOUR
Pondicherry University, a Central
University established the Department of Tamil in 1986, and later upgraded to a School of Tamil. Yes, thus came the
Subramania Bharathi School of Tamil Language and Literature. “This school had
produced 60 scholars who have done their Ph.D’s and 28 are currently striving
to become Doctors of Literature. 181 scholars obtained M.Phil degrees and
currently 34 are studying. The research culminates in presentation of scholarly
thesis” states Dean of the School Dr. A.Arivunambi. Dr.Arivunambi also
functions as Acting Vice Chancellor during the absence of the regular Vice
Chancellor. As the leading beacon of Tamil Development he states with pride
that Pondicherry University is the first and only one to have got a grants for
5 years under Special Assistance Scheme from the University Grants Commission.
This recent achievement gives impetus to draw plans for the development of
Classical Tamil.
“If you want to know about
the Tamil computing researchers, www. tamilsoftware.biz lists out only 2 people
from the Union territory of Pondicherry. They are Professor Kuppusamy, who
heads the Computer Sciences Department of Pondicherry University and Prasanna Venkatesan,
Lecturer of same faculty. At one faculty two researchers exist to give impetus
for promoting Tamil in the world of web, and the other side we have a Tamil
Department which had yet to avail this talent within the campus to equip Tamil
scholars and students with adequate knowledge to handle computers and to
elevate Tamil to the reach of netizens.” opined a Tamil scholar with anguish.
There seems to be fresh plans for inter departmental coordination after such
criticisms were aired in scholarly circles.
The western experiments to
open knowledge to one and all by creating Open Access Online Libraries, from
where all scholarly research papers could be availed by anyone interested from
any part of the globe is slowly spreading its influence over Tamil scholars.Tamil
lovers of Pondicherry are keen to know the subjects of the research undertaken
by various scholars in the Pondichery University. “The practice to upload all
research materials into Internet is a must and web publishing must be given top
priority so that what a researcher in Pondicherry University does becomes known
to other researchers all over the world,” said C.P.Thirunavukkarasu, President
of Anna Foundation. Though members of the faculty have brought out many books
and students too have many books and articles to their credit, in these days of
globalization, they have to market their achievements, publicize them and bring
it to public notice.
A report of the expert committee headed by
Va.Suba.Maniccam Former Vice Chancellor of Madurai Kamaraj University had in
the initial years suggested for creation of separate faculties for Tamil
Studies, Linguistic Studies, Fine Arts and Overseas studies. It had mooted the
suggestion that under the faculty of Tamil Studies departments of Tamil Literature,
Cultural studies, Religious and Mythological Studies, Comparative literature
and Indian folklore could be set up. The committee also had suggested separate
department for Bharathiar and Bharathidasan Studies. The Faculty of Linguistic
Studies with separate departments of Indian Grammatical Studies, Linguistics,
Translation, Dialectology and Tribal languages and The Faculty of Fine Arts
with Department of Music, dance, Drama and Painting must have been set up, if
the recommendations of the expert committee had been taken into consideration.
Much time is lost and because these faculties and departments were not created
in spite of the First Central university being started in a Tamil language
speaking region. Dr.R.Kothandaraman of Tholkaapiyar Centre for Fundamental
Research says that “ sixteen years had
passed and lot of opportunities are lost. There is a need to review the expert
committees suggestions and to have an update on its recommendations so that
fresh initiatives to develop Tamil studies could be explored”. Incidentally he
was one of the members of that Expert committee. Due to non allocation of funds
where our representatives failed, all such new departments could not come up
till 2007, the time when next five year plan launches. As a prelude for opening
Departments of Modern Literature and Religious Literature, two new M.Phil
courses have started , thanks to the initiatives of Dr.Ilamathi Janakiraman.
This unique Central
University must be made into a global meeting place for promoting Tamil as an
international language with state-of-the-art technology to connect to the
global Tamil community via the Information Highway feel the foreign scholars
doing research in Tamil.
“To help Tamil communities living abroad to
establish a digital network for promoting the study of Tamil language and
literature, to establish a grid of learning so that Tamil communities worldwide
may exchange Web-based resources, to develop and promote Tamil in electronic
form to enable Tamil learners to experience the glory of Tamil language and
culture, to promote a sense of Tamil identity both in nations having large
Tamil populations and all former French colonies with which still sizeable
Pondicherrians are culturally and professionally interlinked, Pondicherry
University had lot to do” opines Mannar Mannan, President of Puthuvai Tamil
Sangam.
“These former French
colonies have large population of Tamils who are on the verge of forgetting
their mother tongues. Hence online courses to impart Tamil learning to
geographically separate Tamil communities becomes the historical mission of
Pondicherry University and it is time it reaches out to those who need its
help” said Professor M.Lenin Thangappa.
But all scholars are hoping that Subramania
Bharathiar School of Tamil studies will surge ahead and scale great heights in
glory, since the very name of the school will be a source of inspiration for
all knowledgeable Tamils to pool their goodwill to make this School known
internationally.
Courtesy:New Indian
Express-weekend:7.05 2005