Tamil Virtual Academy to launch website listing Tamil names for newborns

Chennai, May 1 (IANS) The Tamil Virtual Academy is set to launch a dedicated website featuring a comprehensive list of Tamil names for newborns, along with their meanings.

The initiative aims to assist parents in selecting meaningful Tamil names while promoting the preservation and pride of Tamil language and culture.

The announcement comes in the wake of a growing call from Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin for families to embrace Tamil identity.

Speaking at a public event in Nagapattinam recently, Stalin encouraged newlyweds to have children and name them in Tamil.

He expressed concern that Tamil Nadu’s representation in Parliament could be affected by future delimitation exercises based on population.

“Earlier, I used to advise newlyweds to take their time and plan their families,” Stalin said. “But now I am urging them to have children immediately -- and name them in Tamil.”

Deputy CM Udhayanidhi Stalin also shared the same sentiment, urging couples to choose Tamil names for their children. He linked the appeal to broader efforts to protect the Tamil language from perceived impositions, particularly through the National Education Policy and other central initiatives.

“I request all newlyweds to give their children beautiful Tamil names,” he said. “Attempts are being made to indirectly impose Hindi -- by altering words in the Tamil Thaai Vaazthu (state song) and promoting Hindi through the education policy. But these efforts are failing.”

The Tamil Virtual Academy’s move to create the new naming website was prompted by a suggestion on the social media platform ‘X’ by Nithan Chitrarasu, a DMK supporter.

He referred to an earlier incident at the wedding of Mylapore MLA D. Velu’s daughter, where Stalin had encouraged the newlywed couple to choose Tamil names for their future children.

Chitrarasu noted the absence of a centralized, accessible resource for such names and urged the creation of one.

Stalin responded positively, assuring swift action.

The Tamil Virtual Academy later confirmed that the website would be launched soon as part of its digital library, providing easy access to a curated list of Tamil names and their meanings.

Originally established as the Tamil Virtual University under Section 27 of the Tamil Nadu Co-operative Societies Act, 1975, the Academy was renamed the Tamil Virtual Academy on July 16, 2010. It functions under the Information Technology and Digital Services Department and focuses on online Tamil education, digitization of Tamil literature, and promotion of Tamil computing.

The Academy also runs initiatives like the ‘Theera Kaadhal Thirukkural’ project to popularize the teachings of the Thirukkural.

--IANS

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