The fourth edition of the Kashi Tamil Sangamam is set to launch on December 2, 2025, with a powerful focus on promoting the Tamil language. This initiative gains significance against the backdrop of the ongoing debate between the Centre and Tamil Nadu regarding the three-language formula proposed in the National Education Policy (NEP).
Bridging Cultures Through Language Learning
Organized by the Ministry of Education, the event aims to celebrate the deep-rooted cultural and civilisational ties between Tamil Nadu and Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh. The theme for this year's gathering is "Tamil Karkalam," which translates to "let us learn Tamil." Higher Education Secretary Vineet Joshi announced that the core objective is to encourage as many participants as possible to engage with the Tamil language.
A key component of this effort involves 50 teachers from Tamil Nadu, who are also proficient in Hindi, traveling to Varanasi. From December 2 to 15, these educators will conduct foundational spoken Tamil classes across 50 schools in Varanasi. Each teacher is expected to mentor approximately 30 students, reaching a total of around 1,500 young learners.
Student Exchange and Broader Participation
The cultural and educational exchange is a two-way street. In the latter half of December, about 300 college students from Varanasi and its surrounding regions will make the journey to Tamil Nadu for an immersive language learning experience. They will study Tamil at nine prestigious institutions in the state, including IIT Madras, Pondicherry University, and Bhartiya Vidya Bhavan.
Beyond the classroom, the event will see a delegation of roughly 1,500 participants from Tamil Nadu, comprising students, teachers, and entrepreneurs, visiting the holy cities of Varanasi, Prayagraj, and Ayodhya. A series of discussions are also planned at the Banaras Hindu University, which is co-coordinating the event alongside IIT Madras. The first group of participants has already departed from Tamil Nadu for Varanasi.
The Agastya Expedition and Political Context
Adding a unique dimension to this year's Sangamam is the 'Sage Agastya Vehicle Expedition'. This journey will commence from Tamil Nadu's Tenkasi district on December 2 and is scheduled to arrive in Kashi on December 10. Traveling by road through Puducherry, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Madhya Pradesh, the expedition will participate in activities at several locations along the route. This follows the third edition's theme, which also honored Sage Agastya, a revered spiritual figure in Tamil culture.
This emphasis on Tamil language promotion arrives during a period of tension. The DMK-led government in Tamil Nadu has strongly opposed the three-language formula in the NEP 2020, viewing it as an attempt to impose Hindi in a state where the primary educational languages are Tamil and English. The Central government, however, has consistently denied that the policy imposes any specific language on states.
