Puducherry Chief Minister N Rangasamy today advised Tamils living abroad to ensure that their children learnt and spoke in Tamil which "is a classical and excellent language."
Inaugurating a two-day special conference of the International Movement of Tamil culture (India chapter) here, the Chief Minister said, during his visit to Malaysia sometime back, he had come across Tamils residing there speaking Tamil.
However, when he visited France, he had come across children of parents hailing from Puducherry and residing there, pleading their inability to speak in Tamil properly.
"The parents hailing from Puducherry and residing in France should take care that their children acquainted themselves with greatness and rich culture of Tamil and should be taught to speak the language at home," Rangasamy said.
"It is a classical and excellent language," he said.
He said the meet, which had attracted participants from different parts of the world, was aimed at discussing the challenges and opportunities Tamils were facing abroad.
"I hope that the meet would come out with constructive suggestions to find a solution to the challenges the Tamils were facing abroad," the chief minister said, releasing a souvenir of the conference and honouring several Tamil scholars, writers and academics.
However, he did not elaborate on what challenges the Tamils were facing.
Malathy Rajavelu, Chairperson of the International Movement of Tamil Culture (India chapter) welcomed the delegates.
Puducherry Welfare and Tourism Minister P Rajavelu, and R Radhakrishnan, MP, were among those present.
