‘Learn Tamil – Tamil Karkalam’: Fourth edition of Kashi Tamil Sangamam to be held from December 2

According to the announcement made by the Ministry of Education on Saturday, November 22, 2025, the fourth cultural and educational exchange program, Kashi Tamil Sangamam, will be held starting from December 2.

This year’s major events include the Graduation Ceremony in Rameswaram, which marks the grand culmination of the event, and the launch of Tamil Karpom, a new initiative that allows students from North India to study Tamil in Tamil Nadu.

“Kashi Tamil Sangamam 4.0 will be organized around the theme ‘Learn Tamil – Tamil Karkalam’ with the aim of promoting Tamil learning across India and encouraging wider appreciation of India’s classical linguistic and literary heritage.

“More than 1,400 delegates from Tamil Nadu will participate in seven categories in this edition of Kashi Tamil Sangamam,” a senior Education Ministry official said.

The official added that the delegates will undertake an eight-day experiential tour that includes visits to Varanasi, Prayagraj and Ayodhya, as well as interactions, seminars, cultural performances and exposure to local cuisine, handicrafts and heritage.

Like the previous editions, IIT-Madras and Banaras Hindu University (BHU) will serve as nodal institutions for the implementation of Kashi Tamil Sangamam 4.0 in collaboration with the government of Uttar Pradesh and various Central ministries.

The first month-long Kashi Tamil Sangamam was organized in 2022 to revive ties between Varanasi and Tamil Nadu. The second was held between 17 December and 30 December 2023, and the third was held between 15 and 24 February last year.

The theme of this year’s edition is ‘Karpom Tamil (Let’s Learn Tamil)’. This initiative aims to spread awareness about the richness of the Tamil language across the country.

As part of the programme, Tamil language learning sessions will be held for students and youth in Kashi. Additionally, the Agasthya Expedition was planned from Tenkasi, Tamil Nadu to Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, following the footsteps of Sage Agasthyar and highlighting his contributions.

Awareness will also be created about the benefits of the Indian Siddha system of medicine. Classical texts and ancient places will also be highlighted with messages in Indian Languages ​​on digital hoardings placed at designated locations on a decorated chariot.

“The ‘Sage Agasthya Vehicle Expedition’, which follows ancient cultural routes between Tamil Nadu and Kashi, is scheduled from Tenkasi on December 2 and will conclude in Kashi on December 10.

“The expedition signifies the efforts of Pandiyan ruler Adi Veera Parakrama Pandiyan, who spread the message of unity in the Bharatiya culture through his journey from Tamil Nadu to Kashi and built a temple dedicated to Lord Shiva and renamed the town as Tenkasi (Dakshin Kashi) to highlight the spirit of unity,” the official said.

Fifty Hindi-speaking Tamil teachers will teach Tamil language to school students in Kashi under the ‘Tamil Karkalam’ campaign, the official added.