TN govt asks IIT-Madras to play Tamil Thai Vazhthu song at all its functions – Times of India

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu higher education minister K Ponmudy has written to IIT-Madras director Bhaskar Ramamurthi asking him to ensure that Tamil Thai Vazhthu — a state invocation song — is sung at all the functions of the institution including convocations. There was an issue over the Tamil Thai Vazhthu song not being played at the recently held IIT-M convocation.
“It is disheartening to learn that in the recently concluded convocation, the state invocation song was not sung, a deviation of a well-established protocol. I would like to point out that the invocation song is sung at all the state and central government functions in Tamil Nadu including the functions where higher dignitaries like President of India and Prime Minister participate,” the minister said in his letter dated November 24.
IIT-Madras held its 58th convocation in virtual mode on November 20. The event was livestreamed on social media. After the convocation was over, a section of leaders raised an issue over the Tamil invocation song not being played at the event.
“As you are aware, the IIT-Madras was established in year 1959 on an extent of 250 hectares of land provided by the Tamil Nadu government. From that time onwards, the state government has been contributing through various means for the growth and development of the institution, and the present government is also very keen on continuing the same support,” Ponmudy wrote.
He further said the institute had written to the higher education secretary seeking a Rs 10crore support of the state government for establishing a national facility on cryo-electron microscopy which is under examination.