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Tamil community forms new cultural association
They come from different countries: Indonesia, India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Singapore, the US and Australia
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T
hey come from different countries: Indonesia, India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Singapore, the US and Australia. They adhere to all the world’s major religions. And, they all speak one language — Tamil — one of the longest surviving classical languages in the world.
Performance: A Bharata Natyam dance is performed at the opening of the Indonesia Tamil Sangam, a group for Tamils in Indonesia. Courtesy of Indonesia Tamil Sangam
More than 400 Tamil-speaking people, also known as Tamils, living in Indonesia recently gathered in Jakarta to form a new association, the Indonesia Tamil Sangam (ITS).
“Indonesia Tamil Sangam is a nonprofit, social and cultural organization dedicated to the welfare of the Tamil-speaking community living in Indonesia,” Chandramouli, a member of the ITS, told The
Jakarta Post.
According to estimates, there are 74 million Tamils, who are originally from the Indian subcontinent, presently living in more than 20 countries, including Indonesia. Tamils came to Indonesia during the Dutch colonial period, and there are around 20,000 Tamils, both Indonesian citizens as well as expatriates, living in the country, mostly in North Sumatra, Jakarta and West Java.
The ITS was inaugurated by an Indonesian industrialist Munusamy, a Tamil from North Sumatra.
“The Tamil community in Indonesia should imbibe a strong character and become good citizens,” Munusamy said in his inaugural speech.
While explaining the objectives of the association, ITS president Vasagan said he and his colleagues would organize Tamil language classes and establish a Tamil library in Jakarta.
Tamil is presently one of the official languages of India, Sri Lanka and Singapore.
“The core mission of the organization is to unite and build a community forum for Tamils living in Indonesia and to work for their betterment,” Vasagan said.
During the ITS inauguration, young dancers performed the classical Bharata Natyam dance and the Tamil film industry’s popular singers Mukesh and Priya entertained guests for more than three hours.
Several welcomed the formation of the new association.
“It was a great occasion after a long wait and we look forward to talent search programs every month. Good luck and long live Tamil Sangam,” Vimal Raj Thyagarajan, an Indian expat living in Jakarta, said.
More than 400 Tamil-speaking people, also known as Tamils, living in Indonesia recently gathered in Jakarta to form a new association, the Indonesia Tamil Sangam (ITS).
