Himanshuucharan at 22:33, 2 May 2026

2026-05-02T22:33:50Z

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{{Short description|Indian government programme}}
{{Infobox event
| title = Kashi Tamil Sangamam
| image = காசி தமிழ் சங்கமம் பயணத்திற்கான தொடருந்து பெட்டி.jpg
| caption = An advertisement of the event on a train coach
| logo =
| logo_size = 100px
| logo_caption = Logo of Kashi Tamil Sangamam
| date = {{start date|2022|11|19}}
| type = Government Sponsored Cultural Exchange Event
| motive = To celebrate and rediscover the age-old cultural links between Tamil Nadu and Kashi
| duration = 1 Month
| location = [[Varanasi]], [[Uttar Pradesh]], [[India]]
| budget = ₹15 Crores ($1.8 Million)
| organisers = [[Ministry of Education (India)|Ministry of Education]], [[Government of India]]
| participants = 2500
| outcome = Increased Focus on Tamil Nadu
| website = {{URL|https://kashitamil.iitm.ac.in/}}
}}
'''Kashi Tamil Sangamam''' is an annual month-long programme started in 2022 organized by the [[Ministry of Education (India)|Ministry of Education]], [[Government of India]] to celebrate, reaffirm and rediscover the age-old links between [[Tamil Nadu]] and [[Varanasi]]. It was inaugurated by [[Prime Minister of India|Prime Minister]] [[Narendra Modi]] on November 19, 2022.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ndtv.com/education/pm-modi-inaugurate-kashi-tamil-sangamam-today-over-2500-delegates-participate-in-special-programmes-3534547|title=PM Modi To Inaugurate ‘Kashi Tamil Sangamam’ Today; Over 2,500 Delegates To Participate In Special Programmes|website=NDTV.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/political-pulse/modi-kashi-tamil-sangamam-varnasi-tamil-nadu-bjp-dmk-8278068/|title=#Politics | ‘History made’, says BJP as PM Modi inaugurates Kashi Tamil Sangamam in Varanasi|date=Nov 19, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Goyal |first=Piyush |date=2023-01-10 |title=The beginning of India’s cultural renaissance |url=https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/the-beginning-of-indias-cultural-renaissance/article66360822.ece |access-date=2024-09-11 |work=The Hindu |language=en-IN |issn=0971-751X}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/ht-insight/kashi-tamil-sangamam-a-true-example-of-unity-in-diversity-101669185707819.html|title=Kashi Tamil Sangamam: A true example of unity in diversity|date=Nov 23, 2022|website=Hindustan Times}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/education/pm-modi-inaugurates-kashi-tamil-sangamam-in-varanasi-101668855486873.html|title=PM Modi inaugurates Kashi Tamil Sangamam in Varanasi|date=Nov 19, 2022|website=Hindustan Times}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.timesnownews.com/videos/times-now/india/kashi-tamil-sangamam-launched-uttar-pradesh-cm-yogi-adityanath-address-at-varanasi-video-95622800|title=Kashi Tamil Sangamam Launched: Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath Address At Varanasi|date=Nov 19, 2022|website=TimesNow}}</ref><ref>https://kashitamil.iitm.ac.in/</ref>

== Background ==
As a part of ''"[[75th Anniversary of Indian Independence|Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav]]"'' to uphold the Spirit of ''"[[Ek Bharat Shrestha Bharat]]",'' and to expand the relevancy of [[National Education Policy 2020]], a proposal was made before the [[Ministry of Education (India)|Ministry of Education]], [[Government of India]] aiming to rediscover the age-old links of knowledge and civilization between the [[South Indian]] state of [[Tamil Nadu]] and the [[Varanasi|Holy City Varanasi]] (also known as Kashi). The Program was sponsored by [[IIT Madras]] in association with [[Banaras Hindu University]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/kashi-tamil-cultures-8325279/|title=The Kashi-Tamil Sangamam: Celebrating the confluence of cultures|date=Dec 15, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/political-pulse/narendra-modi-governments-tamil-kashi-sangamam-why-winner-in-tamil-nadu-8286950/|title=Narendra Modi government's Kashi Tamil Sangamam: Why it is a winner in Tamil Nadu|date=Nov 24, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ndtv.com/education/tamil-nadu-governor-flags-off-kashi-tamil-sangamam-train-carrying-students-delegates-from-iit-madras-3529932|title=Tamil Nadu Governor Flags Off Kashi Tamil Sangamam Train Carrying Students, Delegates From IIT Madras|website=NDTV.com}}</ref> [[Ministry of Railways (India)|Ministry of Railways]] had also announced special trains for Sangamam.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.livemint.com/news/india/railways-announces-new-train-service-for-kashi-tamil-sangamam-11670659629627.html|title=Railways announces new train service for Kashi Tamil Sangamam|first=Saurav|last=Anand|date=Dec 10, 2022|website=mint}}</ref>

== Delegation ==
The Event was attended by [[Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh]] [[Yogi Adityanath]] and most of the [[Cabinet of India|Cabinet Ministers]] of [[Government of India]] including [[Minister of Home Affairs (India)|Home Minister]] [[Amit Shah]], [[Minister of Defence (India)|Defence Minister]] [[Rajnath Singh]], [[Minister of Education (India)|Education Minister]] [[Dharmendra Pradhan]], [[Piyush Goyal]], [[Kiren Rijiju]] and [[Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (India)|I&B]] Minister [[Anurag Thakur]] . It was also attended by prominent spiritual leaders including [[Sadguru]], [[Ramdev|Swami Ramdev]] and [[Sri Sri Ravishankar]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://pib.gov.in/pib.gov.in/Pressreleaseshare.aspx?PRID=1877283|title=PM inaugurates ‘Kashi Tamil Sangamam’ in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh|website=pib.gov.in}}</ref>

== Controversy ==
[[Government of India|The Center government]] wrote to [[Tamil Nadu Chief Minister]] [[MK Stalin]] a month prior to the event seeking his support and participation in the ongoing Kashi Tamil Sangamam but hasn't received a response. The Central government accused Stalin for not supporting the initiative while the [[Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam|DMK]] leaders accused that the government didn't invite them.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/chennai/centre-sought-stalins-support-participation-in-kashi-tamil-sangamam-yet-to-get-response-sources-8282164/|title=Centre sought Stalin's support, participation in Kashi Tamil Sangamam yet to get response: Sources|date=Nov 22, 2022}}</ref>

== Reception ==
The event received some appreciation and compliments from Tamil scholars and some derision but was marked as a success while the [[Pundit|political pundits]] termed it as a masterstroke of [[Narendra Modi|Prime Minister Modi]] for increasing the focus of Tamil People towards him which could politically benefit him in future. Others pointed out it was obviously a shameless political ploy for Tamil votes that most Tamils didn't even know was going on<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/kashi-tamil-sangamam-train-flagged-off-3529561|title=Kashi Tamil Sangamam Train Flagged Off By Tamil Nadu Governor|website=NDTV.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.newsclick.in/Tamil-Association-CPM-Suspect-Hindutva-Agenda-Behind-Kashi-Tamil-Sangamam|title=Tamil Association, CPM Suspect Hindutva Agenda Behind Kashi Tamil Sangamam|website=newsclick}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ndtv.com/education/aicte-nbt-others-exhibit-books-on-culture-literature-at-kashi-tamil-sangamam-3547750|title=AICTE, NBT, Others Exhibit Books On Culture, Literature At Kashi Tamil Sangamam|website=NDTV.com}}</ref>

== References ==
<references />

[[Category:Government programmes of India]]
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Kashi Tamil Sangamam - Revision history

Himanshuucharan at 22:33, 2 May 2026