Tamil Anthem To Be Sung First At Govt Events, Educational Institutions; Vijay Govt Passes Resolution

Published 10 August 2026 · politics

News india Tamil Anthem To Be Sung First At Govt Events, Educational Institutions; Vijay Govt Passes Resolution Tamil Anthem To Be Sung First At Govt

News india Tamil Anthem To Be Sung First At Govt Events, Educational Institutions; Vijay Govt Passes Resolution Tamil Anthem To Be Sung First At Govt Events, Educational Institutions; Vijay Govt Passes Resolution Published By, Last Updated: August 10, 2026, 11:57 IST Tamil Nadu Assembly unanimously passed a resolution making Tamil Thaai Vazhthu mandatory at the beginning of government events, educational institutions and public organisations. Tamil Nadu Assembly unanimously passes resolution mandating Tamil Thaai Vazhthu at the beginning of government events. (Video screengrab) The Tamil Nadu Assembly on Monday unanimously passed a resolution making it mandatory to sing Tamil Thaai Vazhthu, the state’s official song, at the beginning of government events across Tamil Nadu. The resolution was moved by Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay and was supported by several parties, including the opposition DMK and AIADMK. The parties backed the government’s position that Tamil Thaai Vazhthu should be sung first in the sequence of songs at government functions. According to news agency PTI, Vijay said his Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam government would not compromise on Tamil Nadu’s linguistic and cultural rights.

“Tamil is not only a language but also our life and emotions," Vijay said. He also said the “mother tongue is as pure as one’s mother." Vijay stressed that singing Tamil Thaai Vazhthu first should not be seen as being against India’s political system or national unity. “Singing the Tamil Thaai Vazhthu is not against the political system or India’s unity. On the contrary, it reflects the nation’s high principle of unity in diversity. There’s no need to make this demand of singing the Tamil Thaai Vazhthu first into a political debate," he said. Tamil Thaai Vazhthu To Be Sung First The resolution states that Tamil Thaai Vazhthu should be sung at the beginning of programmes conducted at educational institutions, universities, government offices and public sector undertakings in Tamil Nadu. The resolution comes against the backdrop of the latest advisory from the Union Home Affairs Ministry asking states and Union Territories to “strictly comply" with its January 28 directive that Vande Mataram be played before the Anthem at official events.

Tamil Nadu had already issued an order on November 23, 1970, directing that Tamil Thaai Vazhthu be sung at the beginning of official events. The state government officially recognised Tamil Thaai Vazhthu as Tamil Nadu’s state song on December 12, 2021. It also made its rendition compulsory as the first song at official functions. The Assembly resolution said Tamil is an ancient classical language and that Tamil civilisation is one of the oldest cultural traditions in the world. It also stated that Tamil Thaai Vazhthu was taken from Manonmaniam, a play written in 1891 by Manonmaniam Sundaranar. The resolution said the song must be sung first at government functions in accordance with the order issued in 1970. Resolution Applies To Government And Public Institutions The resolution noted that the government order recognising Tamil Thaai Vazhthu as the state song had come into effect. It said the song would be sung before the start of events at educational institutions, universities, government offices, public sector undertakings and other public organisations located in Tamil Nadu.