A month of vibrant cultural showcases, literary debates, and community programmes celebrating the Tamil language was brought to a resounding close on Sunday (April 26).
To cap off the success of the Tamil Language Festival (TLF) 2026, which saw more than 40 events held over the past month, a first-of-its-kind wrap-up event titled ‘Murasu 360’ was organised by Tamil Murasu to encapsulate the festival’s key milestones.
The 90-minute session at the Civil Service Club @ Tessensohn provided a comprehensive ‘eagle-eye view’ and reflection of the festival for the community, while firmly placing the spotlight on the youths driving the language forward.
Senior Minister of State for Law and Transport Murali Pillai, who was the Guest of Honour, addressed the audience, highlighting the festival’s evolution from its small beginnings 20 years ago into a vital community movement.
“We are seeing a generation of youths who are learning Tamil not just because they have to, but because they want to. They are finding innovative ways to weave the Tamil language into the modern world,” said SMS Murali.
He urged the community to extend the energy felt during the festival into homes, schools, and workplaces to ensure the Tamil language continues to thrive.
MP Hamid Razak and Nominated MP Haresh Singaraju were also in attendance.
A central focus of the evening was the extensive involvement of 15 student journalists, who were deployed to the ground to cover TLF’s myriad of events.
Prior to the festival, the students underwent two media training sessions that covered news writing, interviewing, and video production to equip them.
The students took to the stage on Sunday to present their work, including summary videos of their on-the-ground experiences as journalists. Among them was Tamil Murasu intern Kamadchi Chandrasekar, 19, who noted that interacting with people from all walks of life was the most unique part of her experience.
“It gave me a platform to be a voice for the community and highlight issues that truly matter to me, such as mental health,” she said.
Tamil Murasu editor Mr T. Rajasegar noted that there has never been a closing event for TLF before.
“We felt it was important to host an event that encompasses TLF – to share the festival’s highlights, evaluate our reach, and assess whether we achieved our intended impact,” said Mr Rajasegar.
Echoing this sentiment, Tamil Language Council chairman Mr Naseer Ghani commended the young reporters for their digital savviness, noting that their video productions helped broadcast the festival’s message across multiple platforms.
Singapore Indian Development Association (SINDA) chief executive officer, Mr Anbarasu Rajendran, noted that such youth-centric initiatives will ensure the Tamil language thrives.
“These young journalists carried themselves with immense confidence. They have a clear vision of how to bring the Tamil language forward,” he added.
Beyond the student presentations, the evening featured a live, podcast-style interview with Mr Naseer on stage, as well as a skit by local artists such as Vadivalagan S/O P V Shanmuga Sundaram (Vadi PVSS).
Student journalist Kumaravelu Kamalasivaani, 16, from Saint Andrew’s Junior College, admitted that the fast-paced nature of the assignments was initially daunting.
“However, attending the events pushed me out of my comfort zone to converse with new people, and it opened my eyes to Singapore’s deep passion for the Tamil language,” she noted.
She added that the hands-on experience honed her writing, time management, and social media skills – competencies that are vital in today’s digital age.
Ms Gopikka Narasa Lakshmi, 24, assistant secretary of the Singapore Tamil Society, appreciated the event’s comprehensive overview, noting that it was a great way to distil the many festival events into digestible snippets for the community.
She also highlighted that the student journalist-led Murasu 360 effectively passed down industry skills while giving youths a voice.
“Having youths identify the challenges surrounding the Tamil language and actively propose solutions is a fantastic step forward,” Ms Gopikka said.
