Tamil research must progress towards international citation and quality standards to remain globally relevant, said M. Sundaramari, Registrar (i/c) of Gandhigram Rural Institute (Deemed to be University), while addressing a workshop on Tamil Citation Metrics organised by the Department of Tamil.
The workshop was jointly organised by the Department of Tamil, Gandhigram Rural Institute, Dindigul district, and Sanlax International Journal of Tamil Studies at the Kural Hall of the university's Tamil Department.
Welcoming the participants, Associate Professor Dr. C. Chidambaram highlighted the importance of research quality. Vice-Chancellor Dr. N. Panchanatham, in his video message, said that citations have become an indispensable measure of academic impact in today's research ecosystem. He urged researchers to equip themselves with the necessary skills and welcomed initiatives aimed at enhancing the quality of Tamil research publications.
Professor Dr. P. Anandakumar of the Tamil Department observed that the reach and recognition of Tamil research today largely depend on the impact of scholarly citations. He stressed that Tamil researchers should adapt to evolving academic standards and promote Tamil research on a global intellectual platform.
Speaking on the occasion, S. Lakshmanan, Editor of the Sanlax research journals, said that Sanlax has initiated the first international effort to bring Tamil research journals into globally indexed academic databases, thereby enhancing their international visibility and credibility.
During the event, the book "Tamil Research Articles in the Digital Space", authored by S. Lakshmanan and noted critic N. Murugesapandian, was released.
In the technical sessions that followed, Professor Dr. P. Anandakumar and literary critic N. Murugesapandian delivered lectures on contemporary trends in Tamil research and citation practices.
Addressing the valedictory session, Registrar (i/c) M. Sundaramari reiterated that bringing Tamil research under internationally recognised quality and citation standards is the need of the hour.
The workshop was attended by around 65 participants, including professors and research scholars from Gandhigram Rural Institute as well as faculty members and researchers from colleges across Tamil Nadu and Kerala. Certificates were distributed to all participants. The programme concluded with a vote of thanks by Mr. P. Karthikeyan, proprietor of Sanlax Press.