IIT Madras Gears Up for Kashi Tamil Sangamam 2025, Celebrating India's Rich Cultural Heritage

IIT Madras will host the third edition of ‘Kashi Tamil Sangamam’ from February 15 to 24, 2025. Registrations are open to the public, with BHU serving as the receiving institute in Varanasi.

IIT Madras Gears Up for Kashi Tamil Sangamam 2025

Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) is gearing up to host the third edition of the ‘Kashi Tamil Sangamam,’ event organised by the Ministry of Education, Government of India. Scheduled to take place from February 15 to 24, 2025, this event invites participation across five categories, with applications now open via the official portal: kashitamil.iitm.ac.in. Registration is open to all. Banaras Hindu University (BHU) will serve as the host institute in Varanasi for this landmark cultural and educational exchange.

Participants from Tamil Nadu will visit the ancestral home of Tamil poet Subramania Bharati, Kedar Ghat, Kasi Mandapam, and the Tamil Department at Banaras Hindu University for an enriching academic and literary exchange. The theme of this edition of the Kashi Tamil Sangamam will focus on showcasing the immense contributions of Sage Agasthyar to the Siddha System of Medicine (Bharatiya Chikitsa), Classical Tamil literature, and the cultural unity of India. The goal is to raise awareness about the deep cultural ties between two of ancient India’s most prominent centres of learning and heritage, fostering connections among people from diverse backgrounds and walks of life.

Elaborating on Tamil Nadu’s participation in the event, Prof. V. Kamakoti, Director, IIT Madras, “A total of 1,000 participants from Tamil Nadu, split in Five Groups of equal numbers, will be taking part in the event. They will be from different walks of life including students, teachers, farmers and artisans, professionals and small entrepreneurs besides women and researchers. Further, one batch of 200 Tamil Students from all the Central universities will also be part of this event and will get to undertake local visits to Varanasi, Prayagraj and Ayodhya.”

A major highlight of this year's event is its alignment with the Maha Kumbh Mela, which will take place from January 13 to February 26, 2025. Delegates will have the unique opportunity to participate in the 'Shahi Snan,' a sacred ritual bath during the Kumbh Mela, and visit the Ram Temple in Ayodhya for darshan. An exhibition will showcase various aspects of Sage Agasthyar’s life, highlighting his profound contributions to health, philosophy, science, linguistics, literature, politics, culture, and art, with a particular focus on Tamil and Tamil Nadu. Additionally, seminars and workshops on these topics will be organized throughout the event.

The inaugural month-long Kashi Tamil Sangamam took place from November 16 to December 16, 2022, as a government initiative to strengthen the cultural ties between Varanasi and Tamil Nadu. The second edition was held from December 17 to 30, 2023. Due to the overwhelming response from the people of Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh to both editions, the decision was made to organise this third edition.

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