In the last couple of months, Indian missions across the world have managed to showcase, with plenty of flair, the third edition of the Kashi Tamil Sangamam (KTS). It honors the legacy of Sage Agastya (Agasthiyar in Tamil), one of the seven Saptarishis in the Vedic texts. This divine soul is hailed as the pioneer of the Siddha system of medicine and for being the first grammarian of classical Tamil literature. He’s celebrated for his monumental contributions to health, philosophy, sciences, linguistics, polity and art. Sage Agastya’s influence extends beyond the shores of India and he’s revered and worshipped in Java and Sumatra, both part of the large Indonesian archipelago.

Kashi, one of the world’s oldest living cities, and Tamil Nadu whose people proudly speak Tamil, one of the planet’s oldest languages, are both veritable habitats of ancient Indian civilisations. They are steeped in a rich tradition of art, music, craftsmanship, philosophy, spirituality and literature. Post Indian independence, lamentably, the cultural narrative got skewed towards medieval and colonial India, and ancient India was put on the back burner. Few in India’s north, for instance, had heard of Tamil saints who over centuries had made Kashi their home, adding infinitely to this holy town’s immense spiritual energy. Even fewer knew of a tradition of taking holy Ganga jal (water) to the Rameshwaram temple, or the Kashi Yatra ritual at some Tamil weddings. Similarly, many in Tamil Nadu were not conversant with the traditions and linkages between the two ancient cultures.

The KTS 1.0 incepted in 2022 when Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated its first edition on November 19 that year. It was organised by the Union Ministry of Education with IIT Madras and the Banaras Hindu University as knowledge partners. The month-long event heralded a new era, one witnessed ancient Indian tradition intermingling with modern, cutting-edge practices, all geared to contribute to India’s economic, philosophical and cultural well-being and growth. It also provided a rich cultural context to India’s mission of becoming a developed nation by 2047, and the event carried forward the tradition of Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat.

KTS 2.0 was held at Varanasi’s Namo Ghat between January 17 and 23, 2023. Once again, the IIT Madras and BHU were the two pillars that held the event together. Multiple ministries and departments of the central government and the state government of Uttar Pradesh got involved.

In the first few months of 2025, missions in Cambodia, Malaysia and the US (Houston consulate) have held cultural programmes on what is now KTS 3.0. In Phnom Penh, the Cambodian capital city, a seminar powered by the Indian embassy was held on traditional Indian medicine and Tamil literature. In Kuala Lumpur, the Indian high commission in collaboration with the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Indian Cultural Centre held an event attended by over 100 members of the Indian diaspora, including from PEPTIM—a body that represents practitioners of traditional Indian medicine in Malaysia. In Houston, USA, the Indian consulate teamed up with local Indian diaspora organizations to host an event that featured a panel discussion on Sage Agastya’s contributions, work, wisdom and influence.

In India, a 10-day exhibition was held in Kashi, highlighting the life and works of the great sage through a series of seminars, workshops, book-release events that was organised by stakeholders across government. It coincided with the celebration of Maha Kumbh at Sangam, Prayagraj, and the first anniversary of the consecration of Ayodhya’s Ram Mandir. Focus was on the national education policy of 2020 that underscores the importance of blending the modern, 21st century mindset with Indian culture rooted in millennia of traditions and culture.

There are a great many stories of international interest, and of the Indian diaspora, in this edition of the magazine. Hope you get a chance to glance through all of them.  And please access stories archived on our website www.indiaempire.com going back two decades.

Sayantan Chakravarty
sayantanc@gmail.com