Events
• Sponsored by: International Association of Tamil Research
(IATR), (Federation of Tamil Sangams of North America (FeTNA)
and Chicago Tamil Sangam (CTS)
• To be held at: Schaumburg Convention Center, Chicago, USA
• To be held on: 4th, 5th, 6th & 7th July 2019.
• Grand Cultural Programs – July 4 & 5
• Global Tamil Entrepreneurs Meet (GTEN) – July 6
• Parade & Banquet – July 6th Evening
• Tamil Research Conference – July 6 & 7
• Dedicated to: Late. Dr. V.C. Kulandaiswamy
Vice Chairman IATR & Former Vice Chancellor, Anna University,
who pioneered for this Conference in the United States.
CONFERENCES SO FAR:
THEME:
New Historicist, Scientific and Comparative Study of the Antiquity of the Tamils, Tamil
Language, Literature, Culture and Civilization.
RESEARCH SUBJECTS:
• Classical Tamil Literature (Sangam Literature)
• Ancient Tamil Civilization
• Tholkaappiyam
• ThirukkuRaL
• Contributions of Tamil Scholars
• Tamil Music & Performing Arts
• Modern Tamil Literature
• Tamil Language & Linguistics
SESSIONS:
Tamil Scholars and Delegates from all over the world (including United States, India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Singapore, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Canada, Japan, etc.) will be participating in the conference and presenting Research Papers on the above themes & subjects. There will be Plenary &
Group Sessions and a Final Session.
FEW OF THE RESEARCH TOPICS:
• Nature in Sangam Classics.
• Women in Sangam Classics.
• The Marginalized in Sangam Classics.
• Education during the Sangam Period.
• Tamil Music & Performing Arts.
• Musical Instruments of Ancient Tamil Society.
• The Impact of Sangam Literature on the Lyrics of Tamil Film Music.
• The Impact of Tamil Music on Carnatic Music.
• ThirukkuRaL & the Art of Living.
• The Relevance of ThirukkuRaL today.
• The Reception of ThirukkuRaL in other countries of the World.
• ThiruvaLLuvar as the ‘Bard of the Universal Man’.
• Modern Trends in Tamil Prose & Poetry including novels and short stories.
• Computer Technology and its potential contribution to Tamil Studies.
• Study of the Origin & Spread of Tamil People based on Genetic Studies & Genographic data.
• Ancient Tamil Culture as compared with any Classical Culture including Egyptian, Hebraic, Hellenic, Roman and Chinese.
• Contribution of Ancient Tamil Civilization to the Indus Valley Civilization, Sumerian, Mesopotamia and Acadian, Egyptian & Mediterranean Civilizations.
• Adichanallur, Porunthal, Keezhadi & other excavations in South India.
• Tholkaappiyam as compared with other Grammatical Works in Greek, Latin, Hebrew, Sanskrit & Prakrit, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam & any other classical or modern language.
• Contributions made by Scholars – Maraimalai Adigal, Vipulanantha Adigal, Thaninayagam Adigal, ParithimaaR Kalaignar, Devaneya Paavaanar, Kamil Zvelebil & others.
BACKGROUND:
International Association of Tamil Research (IATR) was founded in 1964, by Thani Nayagam Adigal and a host of World Tamil Scholars viz. Jean Filliozat, Kamil Zvelebil, Ronald E. Asher, Prof. T.P.
Meenakshisundaram, Dr. V. I. Subramanian and others. The Objective of this World Body is: To enable
multi-disciplinary research on Dravidam in general and Tamil in particular, based on scientific analysis
and to actively associate with other world bodies, which are also doing research on these lines.
The 1st International Conference was held in 1966 at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia at which time when
Thaninayagam Adigal was the Head of Research Department at University of Malaya.
The 2nd International Conference was held in 1968 at Chennai (then Madras), India under the able
leadership of Dr. C.N. Annadurai, the then Chief Minister of Tamilnadu. Subsequent conferences were held at Paris (1970), Jaffna (1974), Madurai (1981), Kuala Lumpur (1987), Port Louis (1989), Thanjavur (1995) and Kuala Lumpur (2015).
The 10th International Conference is going to be held in July 2019, at Chicago, United States, and this is
the 1st time the conference is being held in the continent of North America.
The Conference is being held without any political interference and purely focused on Tamil Research as
envisaged by IATR & Tamil Scholars worldwide. Late Dr. V.C. Kulandaisamy, former Vice Chancellor
Anna University & Vice Chairman IATR, who himself was a great educationist, scientist, poet & Tamil
Scholar, was instrumental in planning the conference to be held in the United States, focusing exclusively on Tamil Research via scientific approach.
HIGHLIGHTS:
• Thiruvalluvar Statue (5.5 ft) will be installed in the City of Chicago, as a part of the Conference,
donated by Dr. V.G. Santhosam.
• Special Sessions to the Memory of Thaninayagam Adigal & Memories of the 4th ICSTS Conference at
Jaffna (1974)
• Their Excellencies, The President of India & The Prime Minister of Canada, and Hon’ble Chief Minister
of Tamilnadu have been invited.
• 1150 Abstracts have been received thus far, for the Conference. They will be reviewed by the
Academic Committee and shortlisted.
• Requesting all Tamil Scholars & Supporters for sponsorship, to bring in Tamil Research Students
across the world, to participate in the Conference.
• Federation of Tamil Sangams of North America (FeTNA) & Chicago Tamil Sangam (CTS) will be
jointly facilitating this conference under the auspices of International Association of Tamil Research
(IATR).
• For FeTNA Convention & Chicago Tamil Sangam’s 50th Anniversary, eminent speakers for kavi
arangam & patti mandRam and cinema & folk artistes for tamil isai, light music, historical drama &
entertainment programs, have been invited.
• Theme for FeTNA Convention is ‘Keezhadi – Nam Thaai Madi’ (Keezhadi Excavations – on our Tamil
Mother’s lap) & dedicated to Tamil Scholar Rev.G.U. Pope during his 200th birth anniversary.
WE WELCOME YOU ALL!
We warmly welcome you all, to participate in the 10th International Conference-Seminar on Tamil Studies & the associated Celebrations.
Please share this information with your friends and local Tamil Associations and
enable them to participate as well.
We deeply desire the presence and contribution of Tamil People and Tamil
Associations worldwide.
This Conference is not only for Tamils living in America, but for All the Tamil People
living in 136 countries across the globe.
Welcome one and all, to this Global Event, for the cause of our Tamil Language!
MORE INFORMATION AT:
• https://www.icsts10.org/
• https://fetna.org/
• http://chicagotamilsangam.org/
• On youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7OQKBb0orQ
• Contact: secretary.organizingcommittee@fetna.org
