As part of Thaenmathura Tamil Thiruvizha, commemorating the day when Tamil was declared as the first classical language of India on October 12, 2004, the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH), Madurai Chapter, in collaboration with the Departments of History and Tamil, Lady Doak College, Madurai, organised a symposium on “Evolution of Tamil Script” on October 14, 2025.
The programme, held at MMT II, aimed to celebrate the literary and cultural legacy of Classical Tamil and to promote awareness among college students about the growth and transformation of Tamil letters and inscriptions through the ages. The event began with a prayer and Tamil Thaai Vazhthu. Dr. S. Mercy Packiam, Controller of Examinations and Head & Associate Professor of History, Lady Doak College, delivered the welcome address, highlighting the importance of understanding the roots of Tamil culture and script. Dr. B. Nalini, member, INTACH Madurai and retired Professor, Department of Social Sciences, Madurai Kamaraj University, introduced the theme and outlined the objectives of the symposium.
The technical sessions featured distinguished speakers. Dr. M. Marudhu Pandiyan, Curator, Government Museum, Madurai, inaugurated the first session with a talk on the Origin and Evolution of Vattaezhuthu, tracing its development from ancient inscriptions to later adaptations. Dr. Kalaiarasi, Assistant Professor, Department of Folklore and Cultural Studies, in the second session, explored the deep interconnections between Tamil Language and Culture.After the tea break, Mrs. Devi Arivuselvam from Dhanalakshmi Srinivasan Medical College, Perambalur, delivered the third session on Tamil Inscriptions in and around Madurai, emphasizing their historical and artistic significance. The final session by Mr. Sriram Rajaram, Linguist from Manonmaniam Sundaranar University focused on the Artistic Nature of Scripts, illustrating how Tamil letters evolved into expressive art forms across different periods.
The symposium concluded with insightful remarks by Mrs. Vani Senguttuvan, representative of INTACH Madurai, who encouraged students to take pride in preserving Tamil’s classical legacy. The Vote of Thanks was proposed by Dr. Nirmaladevi J, Head and Associate Professor, Department of Tamil, Lady Doak College, appreciating INTACH’s initiative and the enthusiastic participation of students and faculty. The event formed part of the three-day Thaenmathura Tamil Thiruvizha celebrations held from October 12 to 14, which included programmes for the public, school, and college communities to honour the enduring heritage of Classical Tamil.