Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], September 12 : Celebrated poet and lyricist Vairamuthu praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for presenting a Russian-translated edition of the Thirukkural to Russian President Vladimir Putin, calling the ancient Tamil text a work that belongs to all humanity.
Speaking at the Maha Thirukkural Vizha 2026 organised by Sri Chaitanya Techno School in Chennai, Vairamuthu also said he felt immensely proud as 50,000 students came together to recite the Thirukkural in an effort to create a world record.
Addressing a packed auditorium of students, educators and literature enthusiasts, Vairamuthu placed the Thirukkural at the centre of his address, urging young people to understand its ethical, social and moral teachings and make them part of their lives.
“What I have dreamed of is happening today. Students are born to learn and speak Thirukkural. I feel immensely proud today that 50,000 students are coming together to create a world record by reciting the Thirukkural,” he said.
The event celebrated the literary brilliance and enduring teachings of the Thirukkural, one of the most revered classical Tamil texts, authored by the philosopher and weaver-saint Thiruvalluvar.
A major focus of Vairamuthu’s speech was the recent presentation of a Russian translation of the Thirukkural by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to President Putin during their bilateral talks in New Delhi.
“Yesterday, at the BRICS meeting in Delhi, Russian President Vladimir Putin visited India, where our Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, presented him with a gift. The Prime Minister did not give him Kolar Gold, the Koh-i-Noor diamond, pearls, Kashmir wool, or Kanchipuram silk. Instead, he gave President Putin a Russian-translated edition of the Tamil Thirukkural,” Vairamuthu said.
He described the gesture as a reflection of the importance of the classical Tamil work beyond linguistic, religious and caste boundaries.
“Our Prime Minister had the vision to present the Thirukkural to the Russian President. You, the students, now have the responsibility to carry this legacy forward and understand and spread its importance,” he said.
Vairamuthu further highlighted what he described as the universal character of the Thirukkural.
“If the Bible is given, it is primarily associated with Christians. If the Quran is given, it is primarily associated with Muslims. If the Bhagavad Gita is given, it is primarily associated with Hindus. But our Prime Minister gave the Thirukkural because it belongs to all of humanity,” he said.
“Why the Thirukkural? Because it rises above language, religion, and caste. It is a work for the whole world and for all of humanity,” he said.
Vairamuthu called upon students to treat the Thirukkural not merely as a literary work but as a guide for everyday life.
“The Thirukkural should always remain with you, and its teachings should be reflected in your lives,” he said.
He also urged students to continue learning other languages while maintaining their mother tongue as the foundation of their identity.
“Do not think that English is the greatest language. English is also just one of the many languages in the world. Your mother tongue is your greatest language because it is the language of your roots and your identity,” Vairamuthu said.
“You can learn any number of languages, and you should learn them. But, in my opinion, your mother tongue should always remain the foundation upon which you learn and understand other languages,” he said.
His address connected the preservation of Tamil literary heritage with the responsibility of the younger generation. Vairamuthu also drew a comparison with the oral preservation of the Vedas.
“The Brahmins had a tradition of preserving and passing on the Vedas through oral transmission. They believed that the Vedas should be spoken and passed down from generation to generation rather than simply written down,” he said, adding, “In the same spirit, you students should all become ambassadors of the Thirukkural. Carry its message forward, make it a part of your lives, and help ensure that its wisdom reaches generations to come.”
His comments came as the Thirukkural received a prominent place in the India-Russia engagement surrounding President Putin’s visit to New Delhi for the 18th BRICS Summit, being hosted by India on September 12 and 13.
Prime Minister Modi, while gifting the Russian-language edition to Putin on September 11, said the text encompasses the full spectrum of human life and expressed confidence that its translation would contribute to stronger people-to-people ties between India and Russia.
“Two thousand years ago, Thiruvalluvar wrote the Thirukkural. It includes the entire gamut of human life. It has been translated into the Russian language. I am confident that the people-to-people contact will increase with the translation of the Thirukkural into Russian, which will play a big role in strengthening our relations,” PM Modi told Putin.
In a subsequent post on X, PM Modi wrote, “Presented President Putin with a Russian translation of the Thirukkural, which carries the eternal wisdom of the great Thiruvalluvar across languages and borders.”
The Thirukkural is a classical Tamil text consisting of 1,330 couplets, or kurals, each comprising two lines. It is described as a manual for righteous living that does not make an appeal to a particular god, caste or creed.
Instead, its teachings rest on universal values represented through three broad areas: aram, or virtue; porul, covering wealth and statecraft; and inbam, concerning love.
The work is revered by Tamils as a sacred scripture and is often referred to as “the Tamil Veda”. It is also regarded by scholars worldwide as a masterpiece of aphoristic literature.