Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday expressed confidence that the compilation of Tamil poet and freedom fighter Subramania Bharati’s works would significantly contribute to the promotion of the southern language.

The Prime Minister, who released the compendium of complete works of great Tamil poet and freedom fighter Subramania Bharati at his official residence here, said, “Together, we will achieve the goal of a developed India and fulfill Bharati ji’s dreams for our nation.”

Emphasising the efforts made in the past decade to elevate the status of Tamil, Modi said, “In the last 10 years, the country has worked with dedication to honour the pride of Tamil,” adding that he had the privilege to represent the glory of Tamil at the United Nations.

“We are also opening Thiruvalluvar Cultural Centers around the world,” he noted.

Paying his tributes to the great Tamil Poet Subramania Bharati on his birth anniversary, Modi said today was a great opportunity for India’s culture and literature, memories of India’s freedom struggle and for the pride of Tamil Nadu. He added that the grand culmination of the publication of the works of Mahakavi Subrahmania Bharati was done today.

The Prime Minister lauded the extraordinary, unprecedented and tireless work of six decades for the compilation of ‘Kaala Varisaiyil Bharathiyar Padaippugal’ in 21 volumes. He added that the hard work of Seeni Vishwanathan was such a penance, which will benefit many generations to come.

Modi remarked that Vishwanathan’s penance reminded him of Maha-Mahopadhyay Pandurang Vaman Kane, who had spent 35 years of his life in writing the History of Dharmashastra. The Prime Minister expressed confidence that the work of Shri Seeni Vishwanathan will become a bench-mark in the academic world and congratulated him and his colleagues for his seminal work.

Referring to ‘Kaala Varisaiyil Bharati Padaippugal’, the Prime Minister said that the volume does not merely comprise the works of Bharatiji, but it also includes insightful background information about his literature or literary journey and an in-depth philosophical analysis of his creations.

Each volume includes commentary, explanations and detailed annotations. Modi said, “This edition will prove to be of great help to research scholars and intellectuals in understanding the depth of Bhartiji’s thoughts while providing a perspective into the time period he belonged to.”

Praising the literary contributions of Bharati, the Prime Minister termed his work a priceless heritage for the ancient Tamil language. “Subramania Bharati’s literature is a treasure for the Tamil language, one of the oldest languages in the world. When we spread his literature, we are also serving the Tamil language. And in doing so, we are preserving and promoting our nation’s ancient heritage,” he said.

Referring to the concept of ‘Shabda Brahma’ from Indian philosophy, the Prime Minister said India has always regarded words as more than a medium of expression, highlighting their limitless power. “The words of the sages and thinkers reflect the essence of their contemplations, experiences and spiritual practices, making it our responsibility to preserve them for future generations.” Modi said that this tradition of compiling significant works remains relevant today.

For example, the writings of Maharishi Vyasa, systematically preserved in the Puranas, still resonate. Mentioning a few examples, he said that Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda, Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar’s Writings and Speeches, and Deen Dayal Upadhyay’s Complete Works have greatly contributed to society and academia.

Modi further added that efforts are going on to translate the Thirukkural into multiple languages, which will exemplify India’s dedication to preserving and promoting its literary heritage, adding that he got an opportunity to release the Thirukkural in Tok Pisin during the visit to Papua New Guinea and its Gujarati translation at his official residence.