Registration has opened for Kashi Tamil Sangamam 5.0, which will run from 28 November to 12 December 2026. Education Minister Pralhad Joshi launched the portal for the programme, which connects the cultural and educational traditions of Tamil Nadu and Kashi under Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat.
At the launch, Joshi pointed to pilgrimages between Kashi and Rameswaram as examples of enduring ties between northern and southern India. The programme will bring students, teachers, writers, professionals, farmers, artists, women and spiritual scholars together. Outreach in higher education institutions will explain its aims and encourage participation in celebrating this shared heritage.
First held in 2022, the event has supported exchanges in language, knowledge, traditions and everyday experience. The Department of Higher Education organises it with IIT Madras, Banaras Hindu University, the Central Institute of Classical Tamil in Chennai and the Uttar Pradesh government. Participating central ministries and departments cover culture, railways, school education, tourism, textiles, food processing, information and broadcasting, and skill development.
Learning from Thirukkural: the focus for 2026
KTS 5.0 takes “Thirukkural Payilvom – Thirukkural Abhyas Karen” as its theme. Educational activities, resources in different languages and public outreach will introduce the classical Tamil text to young people and other learners. The aim is to help readers understand its ethical teachings and apply their universal values in daily life.
Around 1,400 people from Tamil Nadu will travel in seven groups of about 200 each. Their eight-day itinerary divides equally between travel and organised visits or programmes. Varanasi, Prayagraj and Ayodhya will host cultural, academic, professional and spiritual activities, with particular emphasis on connecting young participants to classical knowledge traditions.
Applications can be submitted on IIT Madras’s official portal, https://kashitamil.iitm.ac.in/, from October 22, 2026, until November 13, 2026. The categories cover students; teachers; writers and media professionals; agriculture and allied sectors; professionals and artisans; women; and spiritual leaders.
A student outreach initiative will involve 1,000 higher education institutions. Structured study, research and campus activities will introduce Thirukkural to students from varied disciplines and language backgrounds. Further information is available through the Central Institute of Classical Tamil’s programme portal.
Experts from Tamil Nadu will visit Varanasi schools and colleges to explain the text through introductory modules, discussions and quizzes. The National Book Trust and Rashtriya e-Pustakalaya will also run school sessions on reading, storytelling and creative activities.
Technology will help KTS 5.0 share Thirukkural’s teachings with audiences across the country.
The Education Ministry has encouraged eligible residents of Tamil Nadu, particularly students and young people, to apply for Kashi Tamil Sangamam 5.0. The gathering will offer opportunities to explore linguistic diversity and the cultural heritage linking the regions.
Programme theme: “Thirukkural Payilvom – Thirukkural Abhyas Karen”