The Ministry of Education conducted a high-level meeting at Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi on November 3, 2026, to review preparatory arrangements and inter-agency coordination for Kashi Tamil Sangamam 5.0 (KTS 5.0). The meeting was chaired by Secretary of the Department of Higher Education, Smt. Deepti Gaur Mukerjee, and attended by Vice-Chancellor of BHU Prof. Ajit Kumar Chaturvedi, Additional Chief Secretary (Higher Education) of Uttar Pradesh Government Shri Amit Kumar Ghosh, and senior officials from the Union Ministry of Education, State Government, district administration, BHU, and Indian Railways.
Discussions during the meeting focused on inter-departmental and district-level administrative coordination, dedicated rail transport arrangements by IRCTC and other logistics, infrastructural facilities, exhibitions, excursions, and cultural programs to be organized as part of KTS 5.0. Senior officials also visited onsite and offsite venues including Namo Ghat to assess operational readiness.
The fifth edition of Kashi Tamil Sangamam is scheduled to be held from November 28 to December 12, 2026, with the theme 'Thirukkural Payilvom-Thirukkural Abhyas Karen'. The event aims to bring the ethical and moral wisdom of the classical Tamil text Thirukkural closer to youth and learners across the country. Approximately 1,400 participants from Tamil Nadu, organized into seven groups of about 200 persons each, will undertake an eight-day journey comprising four days of travel and four days of visits and structured programs. The itinerary includes visits to Varanasi, Prayagraj, and Ayodhya, featuring cultural, academic, domain-specific, and spiritual engagements. Additionally, 50 teachers from Tamil Nadu will visit Uttar Pradesh to teach Thirukkural in schools and colleges during the event.
The web portal and delegate registration process for KTS 5.0 were inaugurated by Union Minister for Education Shri Pralhad Joshi on October 22, 2026. A nationwide Students' Engagement Programme will be undertaken through 1,000 Higher Education Institutions across the country to promote wider understanding of the Thirukkural among students from diverse academic disciplines and linguistic backgrounds. This initiative will include structured study, research, and campus-based activities for wider dissemination of the teachings and values of the Thirukkural, with details available at www.kts.cict.in.
The Central Institute of Classical Tamil (CICT), Chennai, is spearheading digital outreach, publications, and institutional engagements, while IIT Madras and Banaras Hindu University are serving as the nodal coordinating institutions for Tamil Nadu and Kashi, respectively.