Ma Su responds to Modi's announcement on Tamil studies Chair at Houston

CHENNAI: Responding to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent announcement about the establishment of a Tamil Studies Chair at the University of Houston, US, Tamil Nadu Health Minister M Subramanian on Saturday said that the State government has has already taken steps and "let the Prime Minister do it from his side as well".

"Tamil Nadu Chief Minister has taken steps to establish Tamil chair by allocating funds for Houston University and in this process he wrote five letters to the University. Let the Prime Minister do it from his side as well," the Minister said while speaking to reporters after he paid floral tribute to the statue of late Tamil Poet Kannadasan on his 97th birthday in Chennai.

During PM Modi's address to the Indian diaspora at the Ronald Reagan Building in Washington DC on Friday, he announced that a Tamil studies chair will be established at the University of Houston with the Indian government's help and told the audience to be proud of the fact that Tamil is the "world's oldest language".

Highlighting the rich history of the Tamil culture and language, the Prime Minister revealed that the Indian government is going to partner with the University of Houston in establishing a Tamil Studies chair with an aim to expand the teaching of the world's oldest language, literature and culture.

Meanwhile, Subramanian said he paid tribute to Tamil Poet Kannadasan on behalf of the Tamil Nadu government and talked about the legendary achievements of the poet.

"I have paid tribute to Poet Kannadasan's statue on his 97th birth anniversary on behalf of the Tamil Nadu Government. Kannadasan, who got the Sahitya Akademi award, wrote more than 5,000 film songs. we feel proud to honour him," Subramanian said.