Kashi Tamil Sangamam 3.0: The Divine Confluence of Rishi Agastya and Cultural Unity*
Krishnamohan Jha
The central theme of the third edition of Kashi Tamil Sangamam 3.0 will be the great sage Rishi Agastya, while the Mahakumbh and Shri Ayodhya Dham will serve as its backdrop. This event will provide a divine experience, further strengthening the cultural and civilizational bond between Tamil Nadu and Kashi—two eternal centers of our heritage.
Kashi Tamil Sangamam 3.0 will not only pay tribute to Rishi Agastya but also take a significant step toward reinforcing India’s cultural unity. This gathering will reconnect Tamil Nadu and Kashi while also offering a new direction to India’s broader cultural and knowledge systems.
During Kashi Tamil Sangamam 3.0, various programs such as exhibitions, seminars, workshops, and book launches will be held in Kashi, focusing on different aspects of Rishi Agastya—particularly his contributions to health, philosophy, science, linguistics, literature, politics, culture, and the arts, with a special emphasis on Tamil Nadu.
As part of #KashiTamilSangamam 3.0, over 100 of school students dressed as Sage Agasthyar joined a walkathon in Chennai. @KTSangamam @nsitharaman@dpradhanbjp @Murugan_MoS pic.twitter.com/zU1tKZDScO
— PIB in Tamil Nadu (@pibchennai) February 9, 2025
Rishi Agastya, revered as a great saint in both Tamil and broader Indian traditions, was among the most significant sages contributing to India’s spiritual, cultural, and scientific heritage. He was not only a scholar of Sanskrit but also a pioneer in Tamil literature. His vast contributions span Ayurveda, Siddha medicine, yoga, linguistics, literature, philosophy, politics, and science.
The focus areas of Kashi Tamil Sangamam 3.0 will include:
– *Health and Medicine:* Rishi Agastya’s contributions to Siddha medicine and Ayurveda.
– *Philosophy and Spirituality:* His role in the Vedas, Upanishads, and Tantric traditions.
– *Language and Literature:* His influence in enriching Sanskrit and Tamil languages.
– *Politics and Sociology:* The impact of his thoughts on Indian society.
– *Arts and Culture:* His influence on music, dance, and architecture.
Representation and Participation
This year, the government has decided to bring around 1,000 representatives from Tamil Nadu across five categories:
1. *Students, teachers, and writers*
2. *Farmers and artisans (Vishwakarma category)*
3. *Professionals and small entrepreneurs*
4. *Women (SHG members, MUDRA loan beneficiaries, DBHPS promoters)*
5. *Start-ups, innovators, edu-tech professionals, and researchers*
Additionally, a special group of around 200 Tamil-origin students studying in various central universities will participate. Youth participation has been encouraged across all categories.
The duration of the delegation’s visit will be *eight days* (four days for travel and four days in Kashi). The first group has already departed from Tamil Nadu, and the last group will return by *February 26, 2025*.
The Cultural and Educational Significance
Kashi Tamil Sangamam 3.0 aims to rediscover, reaffirm, and celebrate the centuries-old relationship between *Tamil Nadu and Kashi—two of India’s most significant and ancient centers of learning. The event is being led by the **Ministry of Education, Government of India, with the support of the **Ministries of Culture, Textiles, Railways, Tourism, Food Processing, Information & Broadcasting, and the Government of Uttar Pradesh*.
Through this initiative, scholars, students, philosophers, traders, artisans, artists, and professionals from various fields will come together on a single platform to share their knowledge, culture, and best traditions. This event will also provide a unique opportunity for young participants to connect with India’s rich cultural heritage and experience national unity.
Moreover, this initiative aligns with the *National Education Policy (NEP) 2020*, which seeks to integrate Indian knowledge systems with modern education.
Previous Editions of Kashi Tamil Sangamam
– *2022: This event lasted **a full month*, attracting a massive number of participants.
– *2023: This edition was **a fortnight-long, with nearly **4,000 representatives from Tamil Nadu*. Both editions received overwhelming responses from the people of Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh.
As in previous editions, *IIT Madras* will be the *sending institution, and **BHU* will be the *receiving institution*.
On *January 15, 2025, **Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan* launched the registration portal for Kashi Tamil Sangamam 3.0, which remained open until *February 1, 2025. Given the success of the previous edition, **Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated KTS 2.0 on December 17, 2023, in Varanasi. For the first time, a segment of the Prime Minister’s speech was translated into **Tamil in real-time through an app-based system* for the Tamil representatives.
(The author is a senior journalist and political analyst.)
