Prime Minister Narendra Modi presented Russian President Vladimir Putin with a Russian translation of the ancient Tamil classic Thirukkural, underscoring India's rich cultural heritage and promoting its universal ethical wisdom on a global diplomatic stage.
Key Points
- Prime Minister Modi presented a Russian translation of the Thirukkural to President Putin ahead of the BRICS Summit, highlighting the work's universal ethical wisdom.
- The 2026 Russian edition, published by the Central Institute of Classical Tamil, includes the original Tamil text, transliteration, and a Russian translation by Naira Mkrtchyan.
- The Thirukkural, a collection of 1,330 couplets, covers virtue, morality, governance, social conduct, wealth, family life, and love, making it a significant work of Tamil literature.
- Thiruvalluvar, the revered poet-philosopher, is traditionally believed to have lived over 2,000 years ago, with his work's influence extending far beyond Tamil Nadu.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi presented Russian President Vladimir Putin with a Russian translation of the Thirukkural, the celebrated classical Tamil work attributed to ancient poet and philosopher Thiruvalluvar, ahead of the BRICS Summit in New Delhi.
The 2026 Russian edition, published by the Central Institute of Classical Tamil, contains the original Tamil text, its transliteration, and a Russian translation by Naira Mkrtchyan.
The Thirukkural, comprising 1,330 couplets in 133 chapters, is regarded as one of the greatest works of Tamil literature.
Written in the compact Kural poetic form, the work deals with virtue, morality, governance, social conduct, wealth, family life and love.
Understanding Thiruvalluvar's Legacy
Thiruvalluvar is one of Tamil literature's most revered poet-philosophers.
Very little is known with certainty about his life, including the exact period in which he lived.
He is traditionally regarded as an ancient Tamil poet who lived more than 2,000 years ago.
His fame rests almost entirely on the Thirukkural, a work whose influence extends far beyond Tamil Nadu.
Its 133 chapters are divided into three broad sections: Aram (virtue), Porul (wealth and public life), and Inbam (love).
The poet's verses cover both individual conduct and the functioning of society.
They speak of compassion, honesty, self-control, education, friendship, justice, leadership and good governance, while the final section deals with love and human relationships.
The universal character of the work has allowed the Thirukkural to travel across languages and cultures.
It has been translated into numerous languages, including Russian.
The Thirukkural is often described as a work of universal ethical wisdom because its central concerns are human conduct and the responsibilities of individuals and rulers rather than adherence to a particular religious doctrine.
It has consequently been embraced and interpreted across different religious and philosophical traditions.
Thiruvalluvar's legacy remains deeply rooted in Tamil Nadu.
His image and statues are found across the state, while Thiruvalluvar Day is observed as part of the Pongal celebrations.
Modi's Promotion of Tamil Culture
The presentation of the Russian edition is also in keeping with Modi's repeated efforts to bring Tamil language, literature and cultural symbols into the national spotlight.
At the inauguration of the new Parliament building in May 2023, Modi installed the Sengol, a ceremonial sceptre associated with ancient Tamil tradition, in the new Parliament.
Tamil Nadu's Adheenams participated in the ceremony.
The government described the Sengol as a symbol associated with the transfer of power and India's civilisational heritage.
Modi has also sought to highlight the historical and cultural links between Tamil Nadu and other parts of India through the Kashi Tamil Sangamam.
At the second edition of the event in 2023, he launched multilingual and Braille translations of the Thirukkural, Manimekalai and other Tamil classics, and flagged off a Kanyakumari-Varanasi Tamil Sangamam train.
Tamil literary tradition has also found a place in Modi's international speeches.
He has quoted the Sangam-era poet Kaniyan Pungundranar's celebrated line 'Yaadhum Oore, Yaavarum Kelir', conveying the idea that every place is one's home and everyone is one's kin.
The prime minister has repeatedly invoked Thiruvalluvar as a major Indian thinker and has highlighted the continuing relevance of the Thirukkural's teachings on virtue, compassion, justice and good governance.
Photographs curated by Manisha Kotian/Rediff
