Malaysia's Tamil community has honoured BJP MP Tarun Vijay with the "Thirukkural Thuthar" award for promoting the ancient work of Tamil saint-poet Thiruvalluvar.
Malaysian Indian Congress leader S. Samy Vellu presented the award to Tarun Vijay at a function here.
Samy Vellu described the Bharatiya Janata Party leader as "a warrior king for all Tamils" for taking up the cause of Tamil, Thiruvalluvar and the latter's classic, "Thirukkural".
"Thirukkural" dates back to Sangam literature and is considered one of the greatest works ever written in Tamil. It has 1,330 couplets.
In his speech, Tarun Vijay said the love of the Tamil diaspora was a life changing experience for him.
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"I shall do all I can to promote Tamil and the great icons of literature for the unity of north and south (India).
"It is unfortunate that the icon ... Thiruvalluvar was not introduced in (northern India)."
He lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Human Resource Development Minister Smriti Irani for announcing a Thiruvalluvar birth anniversary celebrations in northern India.
The programme was organised by a Tamil writers group, Persatuan Penulis Penulis Tamil Malaysia.
"India is not just Tulsidas and Valmiki unless we include Thiruvalluvar, Subramanian Bharathi and Andal," Tarun Vijay said to thunderous applause.
"We cannot have an India represented by Ashoka and Vikramaditya alone unless we include the great Cholas, Cheras and Pandyas also."
