Kuala Lampur, March 4 -- The Tamil language has an ancient and storied history, with some theories tracing its origins over 5,000 years ago. Evidence of its significance can be found in Tamil literature and the institutions of knowledge dissemination, such as the Sangam period, which highlight the language's role in shaping the cultural and intellectual landscape of the region.

Scholar Sheldon Pollock traces Tamil's journey from its earliest forms at the end of the first millennium BCE, through the classical period (850-1200 CE), when Tamil-speaking rulers held sway in southern India, and into the modern era, where the language continues to play a pivotal role in global politics and identity.

Prestigious institutions like Harvard Univer...