A group of fifteen lawmakers, led by Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi, has introduced a resolution in the US House of Representatives to designate January as Tamil language and heritage month. The announcement was made to coincide with the beginning of Pongal, a major Tamil harvest festival.
The resolution seeks to recognize the contributions of the Tamil-American community, which now numbers over 350,000 in the United States.
Krishnamoorthi, a Tamil-American himself, said, “As a Tamil-American, I am proud to introduce this bipartisan resolution honoring the Tamil language, heritage, and culture in the US and around the world.”
The resolution has been co-sponsored by five other Indian-American lawmakers: Ro Khanna, Ami Bera, Shri Thanedar, Pramila Jayapal, and Suhas Subramanyam, as well as Nicole Malliotakis, Ilhan Omar, Yvette Clarke, Sara Jacobs, Deborah Ross, Danny Davis, Dina Titus, Don Davis, and Summer Lee.
Tamil, one of the world’s oldest languages, has over 80 million speakers worldwide and a rich literary and cultural history spanning millennia. The resolution has received strong support from various Tamil-American organizations.
“America is a mosaic of different languages, cultures, ideas, and traditions, and it is my sincere hope that this resolution will shine a light on the rich and distinct culture, as well as the incredible achievements, of the Tamil-American community today,” Krishnamoorthi said, urging Congress to act swiftly in adopting the resolution.
The US Tamil action group and people for equality and relief in Lanka echoed these sentiments, highlighting the significance of preserving Tamil traditions and the community’s role in enriching America’s cultural fabric. “Tamil-Americans cherish our rich and ancient language, traditions, and culture and know that we have much to contribute to America’s own unique and vibrant patchwork of traditions,” the US Tamil Action Group said in a statement.
