Dharmendra Pradhan: Kashi Tamil Sangamam in Feb on Rishi Agastya theme

The first edition of the programme, which is organised by the Ministry of Education, was held in 2022, and it is meant to mark the bond in terms of civilisation and culture between Varanasi and Tamil Nadu.

A total of 1,200 participants are expected this year. Of them, 200 will be Tamil students from central institutions. Farmers, teachers, writers, small entrepreneurs, innovators, and women from self-help groups — all from Tamil Nadu — will also be part of the event.

An online registration portal has been launched, and the selection of participants will be done through a quiz. Seminars and cultural programmes will be held during the programme. Participants will visit Varanasi, Prayagraj, and Ayodhya, and with the event coinciding with the Maha Kumbh, they will also visit the Kumbh. “This is an event that celebrates the bond between the vibrant cultures of Tamil Nadu and Kashi. It is part of the concept of ‘Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat’,” Pradhan said.

Responding to a question on the event’s success in dealing with a purported North-South divide, Pradhan said that he did not agree that there was such a divide.