Bridging Ancient Traditions and Modern Classrooms

Daily News 365 Bureau

NEW DELHI: The Department of Higher Education, operating under the Union Ministry of Education, has officially opened registrations for the fifth edition of the Kashi Tamil Sangamam (KTS 5.0). Slated to run from November 28 to December 12, 2026, this year's iteration centers around the theme "Thirukkural Payilvom - Thirukkural Abhyas Karen."

Union Minister for Education Pralhad Joshi launched the registration portal on October 22, setting the stage for an ambitious cultural and academic exchange designed to reinforce the deep-rooted civilizational bonds between Tamil Nadu and Kashi.

Diverse Participation Categories

Interested individuals can apply through the official portal hosted by IIT Madras ([kashitamil.iitm.ac.in](https://kashitamil.iitm.ac.in/)) until November 13, 2026. The selection process spans seven distinct categories to ensure broad societal representation:

* Students * Teachers * Writers and Media Professionals * Agriculture and Allied Sectors * Professionals and Artisans * Women * Spiritual Leaders

Focus on the Thirukkural

The central pillar of KTS 5.0 is bringing the ethical, moral, and philosophical teachings of the classical Tamil text, the Thirukkural, into contemporary educational frameworks. Organizers aim to inspire young learners across the country to integrate these timeless values into their daily lives.

Approximately 1,400 participants from Tamil Nadu will travel to Uttar Pradesh in seven distinct cohorts of 200. Each group will undertake an eight-day immersive journey—comprising four days of travel and four days of structured itineraries—covering Varanasi, Prayagraj, and Ayodhya. The delegation will engage in a mix of cultural, academic, domain-specific, and spiritual activities.

Expanding Educational Outreach

Beyond the delegate tours, KTS 5.0 features a nationwide student engagement initiative extending to 1,000 higher education institutions. This component promotes cross-disciplinary and cross-linguistic academic study of the Thirukkural through research projects and campus seminars.

Additionally, schools and colleges in Varanasi will host specialized educational outreach programs. The National Book Trust, partnering with Rashtriya e-pustakalaya, is scheduled to conduct interactive storytelling, reading, and creative sessions for local students.

Collaborative Governance

The expansive initiative is spearheaded by the Union Ministry of Education in collaboration with IIT Madras, Banaras Hindu University (BHU), the Central Institute of Classical Tamil (CICT) in Chennai, and the Uttar Pradesh government. It also draws administrative support from multiple central ministries, including Culture, Railways, School Education, Tourism, Textiles, Food Processing Industries, Information and Broadcasting, and Skill Development and Entrepreneurship.