Modi gifts Putin ancient Tamil text promoting universal values
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi presented Russian President Vladimir Putin with a Russian translation of the Thirukkural, a classic Tamil text, during a meeting in New Delhi on September 11.
Thirukkural is a collection of 1,330 couplets written by the poet-philosopher Thiruvalluvar between 300 BCE and 500 BCE. The text explores ethics, morality, and human life, discouraging divisions based on religion or caste and advocating for kindness and virtue.
The Thirukkural is divided into three books and covers topics ranging from love, distinguishing between pre-marital and marital forms, to the nature of God, whom Thiruvalluvar describes as “pure intelligence.” Scholars have noted connections between Thiruvalluvar’s emphasis on education and the work of the ancient Greek philosopher Plato, highlighting a shared belief in the link between virtue, wisdom, and learning. First published in English in 1840, the Thirukkural has since been translated into over 60 languages.
The edition gifted to Putin was a 2024 Russian translation by Naira Mkrtchyan, published by the Central Institute of Classical Tamil as part of a series. Some researchers have described the work as authored by an anonymous figure, while others, like George Uglow Pope, have lauded Thiruvalluvar as “The Bard of Universal Man.”
