The Ministry of Education has announced the fifth edition of Kashi Tamil Sangamam (KTS 5.0), scheduled to be held from November 28 to December 12, 2026. Union Minister for Education Shri Pralhad Joshi launched the registration portal for the event on October 22, 2026. The program aims to celebrate and strengthen the civilizational bonds between Tamil Nadu and Kashi, supporting the Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat initiative.
The theme for KTS 5.0 is "Thirukkural Payilvom – Thirukkural Abhyas Karen," focusing on promoting the ethical and moral wisdom of the classical Tamil text Thirukkural among youth and learners across India. Approximately 1,400 participants from Tamil Nadu will be organized into seven groups of about 200 persons each, undertaking an eight-day journey that includes four days of travel and four days of visits and structured programs in Varanasi, Prayagraj, and Ayodhya.
Registration is available through the official portal hosted by IIT Madras at https://kashitamil.iitm.ac.in/ from October 22, 2026, until November 13, 2026. Applications are accepted under seven categories: Students, Teachers, Writers and Media Professionals, Agriculture and Allied Sectors, Professionals and Artisans, Women, and Spiritual leaders.
Major initiatives include a nationwide Students' Engagement Programme through 1,000 Higher Education Institutions across the country to promote understanding of Thirukkural. Thirukkural experts from Tamil Nadu will visit schools and colleges in Varanasi to introduce students to the text's core values through orientation modules, interactive sessions, and quizzes. The National Book Trust in association with Rashtriya e-Pustakalaya will conduct interactive sessions in Varanasi schools on reading habits, storytelling, and creative activities. The program will also leverage technology to make Thirukkural teachings accessible to a wider audience across India.
The event is organized by the Department of Higher Education, Union Ministry of Education, in collaboration with IIT Madras; Banaras Hindu University (BHU); Central Institute of Classical Tamil (CICT), Chennai; Uttar Pradesh Government; and multiple Central Government Departments including Culture, Railways, School Education, Tourism, Textiles, Food Processing Industries, Information & Broadcasting, and Skill Development & Entrepreneurship.