Why did Modi invoke ancient Tamil poet to stress India\'s unity in diversity?

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi invoked the nearly three-millenia old Tamil poet and philosopher Kaniyan Poongundranar in his United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) speech on Friday to highlight the essence of Indian unity in diversity and emphasise the feeling of kinship among all people in the world.

"3000 years ago, a great poet of India, Kaniyan Pungundranar, wrote in Tamil, the most ancient language of the world -- Yaadhum Oore Yaavarum Kelirwhich which meant, ‘We belong to all places, and to everyone'. This sense of belonging beyond borders is unique to India," PM Modi said at the 69th session of the UNGA.

Why he invoked the Tamil poet?

Prime Minister spoke in Tamil and glorified the Dravidian language and culture at the UNGA. His comment holds significance in the light of the row that jolted the country in the wake of politics over Hindi language imposition.

Who is Kaniyan Poongundranar?

Kaniyan Poongunranar, also known as Poongundranar or Pungundranar, was a famous Tamil philospher from the Sangam era -- the period of ancient Tamil Nadu and Kerala spanning from 3rd century to 4th century BC.

He was born and brought up in Mahibalanpatti village in Tamil Nadu.

His name Kaniyan implies he was an astronomer as it means to calculate or to compute.

He composed two poems in Puṟanāṉūṟu and Natrinai. His famous Tamil quote, "Yaadhum Oore Yaavarum Kelir" that was quoted by PM are inscribed at the UN headquarters, as per The Hindu.

Modi not the first leader:

This is not for the first that an Indian leader has echoed these words on an International forum.

While addressing the United Nations in 1980, former prime minister Indira Gandhi quoted these memorable lines of Kaniyan Poonggundranaar to give a sense of pride to the Tamil people all over the world.

Former president Abdul Kalam popularised the idea of ‘yaadhum oore yaavarum kelir’ in his speech at European Union in April 2007.

 

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