Books are the keys to the new world, says CM Stalin on World Book Day
On the occasion of World Book Day on Wednesday (April 23, 2025), Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin said books are the keys to the new world.
In a post on the social media platform X, he said books were like 'a good friend who introduces us to the life we have not lived, the people we have never met, and the times we have not seen'.
Mr. Stalin said the State government was establishing a Periyar library in Coimbatore and a Kamaraj library in Tiruchi, on the lines of those in Chennai and Madurai. The Dravidian model government was encouraging reading through book fairs and literary fairs, he said.
'Read the world through books, and knowledge will flourish; read the world as a book, and experience will thrive,' Mr. Stalin said.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New Indian Express
3 days ago
- New Indian Express
When the sound of silence is prized
The Kamal Haasan starrer Thug Life is in trouble in Karnataka because of the star's remark that Kannada came out of Tamil. The film industry in Karnataka has demanded an apology from him before clearing the film for release, but Kamal has refused to do so. A court in Bengaluru, too, has indicated in a statement that includes local language phrases that the sentiments of the masses cannot be hurt so casually and has thought that an apology would be required. Without that apology, the film may find it difficult to be released in Karnataka. All South Indian languages came out of a common source that resembles them to different degrees. But if someone says that one of them came out of another, it is like equating a language as it is spoken today with that source. It has been found, for instance, that Proto-Dravidian, a reconstructed source for South Indian languages, has commonalities with a language spoken near the Zagros mountains in Iran—since the Harappans are supposed to have been a mixture of early Indians and migrants from that region. In any case, all these are academic exercises and cannot have much bearing on the controversy, because that stems from political loyalties and beliefs. The creation of linguistic states was a rational decision, but it had major repercussions that were not anticipated. It created language loyalties in pockets where Hindi was not widely spoken, like South India. The Devanagari script is associated with Sanskrit, which has Brahminical associations, and language in South India has also become connected to caste issues.
The Hindu
5 days ago
- The Hindu
Kamal Haasan files nomination for Rajya Sabha election from Tamil Nadu
Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) president and actor Kamal Haasan filed his nomination for the Rajya Sabha at the Tamil Nadu Secretariat in Chennai on Friday (June 6, 2025), in the presence of Chief Minister M.K. Stalin and Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin. DMK allies — VCK leader Thirumavalavan, MDMK leader Vaiko and Tamil Nadu Congress president K. Selvaperundagai — were also present. With the DMK allocating one Rajya Sabha seat to Makkal Needhi Maiam, its founder and actor Kamal Haasan was earlier named the candidate for the Upper House of Parliament. In the 234-member Tamil Nadu Assembly, each candidate requires a minimum of 34 votes to clinch a Rajya Sabha seat. The DMK-led INDIA bloc, with 158 MLAs (DMK: 133, Congress: 17, VCK: 4, CPI: 2, CPM: 2), is poised to win four seats comfortably. #KamalHaasan files #RajyaSabha nomination as Makkal Needhi Maiam candidate in presence of Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin in Chennai 📹PTI — The Hindu (@the_hindu) June 6, 2025 The ruling DMK had named poet Salma, incumbent Rajya Sabha MP and advocate P. Wilson, and S.R. Sivalingam as its three candidates for the Rajya Sabha election scheduled for June 19 this year. Actor Kamal Haasan launched his party in Madurai in 2018. MNM did not contest in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, instead campaigned for the DMK-led INDIA bloc in the State. In return, the DMK had promised a Rajya Sabha seat for the party. MNM had secured 2.62% of the votes in the 2021 State Assembly election. Thug Life release Earlier on Thursday (June 5), Kamal Hassan's latest film Thug Life was released to much fanfare. The film is directed by Mani Ratnam, marking a highly anticipated reunion between the legendary director and Haasan after 38 years.
Hindustan Times
7 days ago
- Hindustan Times
DK Shivakumar urges Kannada groups to stay calm amid Kamal Haasan controversy
Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Tuesday appealed for calm from Kannada organisations, urging them not to stage protests in front of theatres over the ongoing controversy involving actor Kamal Haasan. He also expressed confidence that the veteran actor would respect the Karnataka High Court's directive in the matter. Also Read - RCB's Victory Parade today: Expect major traffic jams in Bengaluru's CBD area. Details The appeal comes amid mounting backlash against Haasan's recent remarks, where he allegedly claimed that Kannada was born out of Tamil. The statement sparked widespread criticism across Karnataka, leading to legal intervention and demands for a public apology from the actor. On Tuesday, the makers of Haasan's upcoming film 'Thug Life' informed the Karnataka High Court that the movie would not be released in the state on its scheduled release date of June 5. 'The Court would have weighed all factors before advising Kamal Haasan to apologise,' Shivakumar told reporters. 'I have spoken with scholars and literary experts, and they agree that Kannada and Tamil are sister Dravidian languages. I trust Kamal Haasan will honour the Court's observations,' he added. During the court proceedings, the bench criticised Haasan's remarks and said that a simple apology could have deescalated the situation. The court's tone reflected the seriousness with which the issue has been taken in Karnataka. Also Read - Bengaluru unites at BGS Ground as RCB fever grips city during IPL final with PBKS Responding to accusations from Union Minister Pralhad Joshi, who alleged that the Congress government was being lenient due to its alliance with DMK in Tamil Nadu, Shivakumar hit back. 'The BJP thrives on dividing people, while the Congress unites. Both needle and scissors are made of iron, but one stitches while the other cuts. Congress is the needle,' he said. Shivakumar also warned against taking matters into one's own hands, stressing that the government would not tolerate any attempts to create unrest. 'We must avoid triggering tensions between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. Thousands commute between the two states daily. I appeal to Kannada organisations not to protest outside theatres and disturb public order,' he said.
