IIT Madras, BHU Varanasi to host Kashi Tamil Sangamam 4.0 from December 2 to 10; over 1,400 to participate

Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras and Banaras Hindu University (BHU) Varanasi will host the fourth edition of Kashi Tamil Sangamam (KTS 4.0) from December 2 to 10, 2025. The programme will highlight cultural, linguistic, and civilisational connections between Tamil Nadu and Kashi.

The theme for KTS 4.0 is ‘Learn Tamil – Tamil Karkalam’, aimed at promoting Tamil learning across India. More than 1,400 delegates from Tamil Nadu will participate across seven categories: students, teachers, writers and media professionals, agriculture and allied sectors, professionals and artisans, women, and spiritual scholars and practitioners.

The programme will include an eight-day experiential tour covering Varanasi, Prayagraj, and Ayodhya, with seminars, academic interactions, cultural performances, and exposure to local cuisine, handicrafts, and heritage.

In Varanasi, delegates will visit Tamil heritage locations including the ancestral house of Mahakavi Subramanya Bharatiyar, Kedar Ghat, the Kasi Madam in “Little Tamil Nadu”, Shri Kashi Vishwanath Temple, Mata Annapurna Temple, and the Tamil Department at BHU.

“Since its inception in 2022, the Kashi Tamil Sangamam has witnessed overwhelming public participation and has emerged as a landmark cultural bridge reconnecting two of India’s oldest knowledge traditions. Building on the success of the previous three editions of KTS, the 4th edition aims to further deepen engagement through enhanced learning exchanges, cultural immersion, academic interactions, and greater youth participation,” the official press release said.

KTS 4.0: Quiz for shortlisted delegates on November 23

The education ministry has launched two portals for participation in KTS 4.0. The first portal, kashitamil.iitm.ac.in, is open for all categories except the student immersion programme. Registrations for KTS 4.0 were closed on November 21, 2025. Shortlisted candidates will now be selected through a quiz conducted on November 23, 2025, from 10 AM to 5 PM.

The second portal, kashitamil.bhu.edu.in, is exclusively for selecting the 300 students who will visit Tamil Nadu for the 15-day educational immersion in the third week of December. Registrations and selections through this portal will be conducted in line with the schedule announced by BHU.

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Key initiatives under KTS 4.0

The key initiatives under KTS 4.0, aimed at promoting Tamil language learning and cultural exchange, are outlined below:

• Sage Agasthya Vehicle Expedition: The expedition will run from December 2 in Tenkasi to December 10 in Kashi, tracing ancient cultural routes between Tamil Nadu and Kashi and highlighting civilisational links from historical periods, including Chera, Chola, Pandya, Pallava, Chalukya, and Vijayanagara.
• “The expedition signifies the efforts of the Pandiyan ruler Shri Adi Veera Parakrama Pandiyan, who spread the message of oneness in Bharatiya culture through his journey from Tamil Nadu to Kashi and built a temple dedicated to Lord Shiva, renaming the town as Tenkasi (Dakshin Kashi) to underline the spirit of unity,” the press release said.
• Teaching Tamil in Varanasi, UP Schools: Fifty Tamil teachers will teach Tamil to school students in Kashi under the “Tamil Karkalam” campaign.
• Tamil Learning Study Tours for Students of UP: Three hundred college students from Kashi will visit Tamil Nadu for a 15-day Tamil learning programme organised by the Central Institute of Classical Tamil (CICT) Chennai. Host institutions will conduct academic and cultural tours highlighting Tamil Nadu’s heritage and historical ties with Kashi.

The official press release states that KTS 4.0 aims to strengthen national integration through cultural exchange, linguistic enrichment, and knowledge-sharing, providing delegates a platform to engage with India’s civilisational heritage.