Karunanidhi's 'Semmozhi Vaazhthu',likely to be back in TN school textbooks

The poem 'Semmozhi Vaazhthu', penned by late former Chief Minister M Karunanidhi, is expected to be back in school textbooks with the Tamil Nadu government mulling to print it again.

In 2010, the then DMK president Karunanidhi wrote 'Semmozhi Vaazhthu' for the world classical Tamil conference, which was held in Coimbatore in the same year.

As the poem become famous after it was declared as the official hymn of the conference, the then DMK government has decided to print 'SemmozhiVaazhthu' in all school textbooks. Accordingly, the poem was printed along with 'Tamil Thai Vaazhthu', which was now declared as State's song.

However, after the AIADMK took over power, not only the poem was removed from the textbooks but also the authorities have deleted Karunanidhi's literacy work, which was appeared in the textbooks of some standards.

After School Education minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi had recently hinted that steps will be taken to once again print 'Semmozhi Vaazhthu' in the school textbooks, a senior official from the School Education Department, seeking anonymity, said if official confirmation was given in this regard a committee will be constituted to look into the matter.

Pointing out that at present, on average about 11 crore textbooks for the students from Class one to Class XII are being printed Tamil Nadu Textbook and Educational Services Corporation every year, he said the committee might also decide to print other literary works of Karunanidhi.

"As the printing of textbooks for the next academic year is expected to start soon", he said adding "the panel will also ask feedback from the academicians and experts to identify the contents of Karunanidhi literacy works, that would be included in the textbooks".

However, the official said that except for 'Semmozhi Vaazhthu' additional literacy pieces of Karunanidhi will not be printed in all the textbooks. "It might be there in textbooks of higher classes", he added.

"With the State, the government is keen to promote the Tamil language among the students", the committee would also decide to include other Tamil writers' literary works in the textbooks.

Welcoming the government move to include 'Semmozhi Vaazhthu' in the textbooks, Tamil Nadu Teachers Association president P K Ilamaran said there is nothing wrong to print the poem as it promotes Tamil language among the students.