His contribution to Tamil
Historical Contributions
Sixteenth-century print recovery, Tamil Culture quarterly, IATR founding, and international conferences.
Publishing: Tamil Culture
இதழியல்: Tamil Culture
Founded the English-language quarterly in 1952 to connect research on Tamil language, literature, history, art and society with readers abroad. It appeared through 1966, with publication gaps. Contributors included Kamil Zvelebil, Jean Filliozat and Mikhail Andronov.
Connecting scholars: IATR
அறிஞர்களை இணைத்த மன்றம்: IATR
Helped establish IATR in New Delhi on 7 January 1964. Jean Filliozat became president; Thomas Burrow, F. B. J. Kuiper, T. P. Meenakshisundaram and Mu. Varadarajan became vice-presidents. Thani Nayagam and Kamil Zvelebil served as joint secretaries.
Conference leadership: Kuala Lumpur, 1966
மாநாட்டுப் பணி: கோலாலம்பூர், 1966
As organising-committee deputy chairman, helped bring the first international Tamil research conference together in April 1966. Prime Minister Tunku Abdul Rahman opened it. He led the editorial committee for the proceedings, published in two volumes in 1968.
Studying early Tamil print
தொடக்க காலத் தமிழ் அச்சு ஆய்வு
Located and studied early Tamil books and manuscripts in European and American libraries. Found Henriques’s grammar manuscript in Lisbon in 1954, studied the Harvard copy of Thambiran Vanakkam, and published a facsimile of Proença’s 1679 dictionary in 1966.
Research guides and bibliographies
ஆய்வு வழிகாட்டிகளும் நூற்பட்டியல்களும்
Compiled A Reference Guide to Tamil Studies, published in 1966 with vi + 122 pages and 1,355 book records. He also arranged an expanded edition of Simon Casie Chetty’s Tamil Plutarch.
Teaching and public lectures
கற்பித்தலும் பொது உரைகளும்
His 1949–1950 international travels took Tamil studies to varied audiences. In the United States alone he delivered more than 200 talks in one year, in universities, colleges, schools and public meetings.
Selected publications register
Chronological RegisterSelected Publications
25 records
| # | Year | Title & Details | Field | Language | Access |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | 1967 | Landscape and Poetry Nature in classical Tamil poetry · catalogued 1967 edition; 157 scan leaves | Tamil Literary Essays | Readable | |
| 02 | 1953 | Nature in Ancient Tamil Poetry 1949 M.Litt. research · Tamil Literature Society, xxii + 185 p. | Tamil Literary Essays | Readable | |
| 03 | 1963 | Nature Poetry in Tamil: The Classical Period 1963 edition of the nature-poetry study · xvii + 153 p. | Tamil Literary Essays | Readable | |
| 04 | 1967 | Tiruvalluvar 1961 lectures on comparative ethics · published by Annamalai University, 1967 | Tamil Literary Essays | Readable | |
| 05 | n.d. | Ulaga Ozhakkaviyalil Tirukkural Related Tirukkural reading · separate publication details unverified | Tamil Literary Essays | Readable | |
| 06 | 1956–57 | Education in Ancient Tamil Literature: Essays Three related Tamil Culture essays · 1956–1957 | Tamil Literary Essays | Readable | |
| 07 | 1952 | Tamilttūtu Tamil essays · first published 1952; later editions separately catalogued | Tamil Literary Essays | Readable | |
| 08 | 1965 | Tamilar Panpatu Tamil cultural essays · publication details require corroboration | Tamil Culture & Civilization | Readable | |
| 09 | 1971 | Tamil Culture and Civilization Compiled readings from the classical period · catalogue edition 1971, 233 p. | Tamil Culture & Civilization | Readable | |
| 10 | 1952–66 | Tamil Culture (Vols. 1–12) Quarterly research journal · digitized volumes and reading text | Tamil Culture & Civilization | Readable | |
| 11 | 1952 | The Ethical Interpretation of Nature in Ancient Tamil Poetry An essay on nature and ethics in Tamil poetry · Tamil Culture, 1952 | Tamil Culture & Civilization | Readable | |
| 12 | 1966 | Ondre Ulagam Tamil travel reflections · bibliography-listed 1966 issue, 230 p. | Tamil Culture & Civilization | Readable | |
| 13 | 1966/68 | 1st International Conference Proceedings Kuala Lumpur conference, 1966 · proceedings published 1968, two volumes | Tamil Research & Bibliographies | Readable | |
| 14 | 1968 | Tamil Studies Abroad: A Symposium Edited symposium volume · IATR, 1968 | Tamil Research & Bibliographies | Archival Reference | |
| 15 | 1980 | Research in Tamil Studies: Retrospect and Prospect Thanthai Chelva memorial lecture · Jaffna publication, 1980, 15 p. | Tamil Research & Bibliographies | Readable | |
| 16 | 1966 | A Reference Guide to Tamil Studies University of Malaya Press bibliography · vi + 122 p. | Tamil Research & Bibliographies | Archival Reference | |
| 17 | 1964 | Antão de Proença’s Dictionary: Introduction and Preface Tamil Culture XI.2, 1964 · introduction and translated preface to the 1679 dictionary | Tamil Research & Bibliographies | Readable | |
| 18 | 1950 | The Carthaginian Clergy 1939 doctoral research · second edition 1950, 112 p. | Tamil Research & Bibliographies | Archival Reference | |
| 19 | 1972 | Tamil Humanism, the Classical Period Bunker memorial lectures · Jaffna, 1972 | Philosophy & Tamil Humanism | Readable | |
| 20 | 1961 | Aspects of Tamil Humanism 1961 Sornammal lecture record · related Tamil Culture essay available | Philosophy & Tamil Humanism | Readable | |
| 21 | 1962/63 | Indian Thought and Roman Stoicism 1962 inaugural lecture · 1963 publication and journal reprint | Philosophy & Tamil Humanism | Readable | |
| 22 | 1995 | Collected Papers of Thani Nayagam Adigalar IITS posthumous English collection · 523 p. | Collected Works & Addresses | Readable | |
| 23 | 2013 | Complete Works of Thani Nayaga Adigalaar Compilation record | Collected Works & Addresses | Readable | |
| 24 | 1999 | Collected Speeches of Thani Nayagam Adigal IITS posthumous Tamil speeches · 178 p. | Collected Works & Addresses | Readable | |
| 25 | 1983 | Tamilāram Memorial tribute volume | Collected Works & Addresses | Readable |