Greeting the Christians in the State on Christmas eve, the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi went nostalgic about those Christian Missionaries of the 17th and 18th centuries who did yeomen service to the Tamil language and contributed for its enrichment.
The Chief Minister, in his greeting message, said at the time when World Tamil Classical conference is getting ready for celebration from June 23 to 27 next year, “I am reminded of the great European Christian Missionaries who came for propagating their religion in 16th to 18th centuries, learnt the Tamil language and contributed for its growth, and also were responsible for its popularity to spread to the West.”
When the Christian community, who live in Jesus Christ’s likeness, is celebrating the birthday of the Saviour who strived for human rights and dignity with his philosophy “love thy neighbour as thyself”; bless them who curse; bear the insults and humiliations”, the Chief Minister said his memories goes back on those Christian Missionaries who came to Tamil Nadu.
He hailed the following Jusuit Fathers and Missionaries for their service to Tamil:
Robert de Nobili who came from Italy as early as 1606 to Tamil Nadu, and lived like a Tamil sage, calling himself as Philosophical Teacher and gave his touch to the evolution of Tamil prose.
Veeramamunivar (Rev. Father Beschi), who also came from Italy in 1700 for missionary work, mastered the Tamil language and authored Tamil literary works “Thembavani” and “Sudaragarathi.”
Seagon Palk who came from Germany in 1709, camping at Tharangabadi, who started the first printing press and first paper manufacturing unit at Poraiyar, and authored Tamil-Latin dictionary and printed first Bible translation in Tamil.
Dr. G U Pope who came from England in 1839 for missionary work translated “Thirukkural”, “Thiruvasagam” and “Naladiyar” into English and worked as Professor of Tamil at Oxford University and who out his love for Tamil had the “I’m a Student of Tamil” inscribed on his tomb.
Robert Caldwell who came from Ireland to South India in 1889, settled at Tirunelveli and written the “History of Tirunelveli” and did research in Dravidian languages and brought out a compendium on ‘comparative study of the grammar of Dravidian languages’.
- Asian Tribune -
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