PM Modi gifts Russian edition of ‘Thirukkural’ to Putin ahead of BRICS summit: What you need to know about ‘Tamil Veda’ | Today’s news
Prime Minister Narendra Modi presented the Russian edition of Thirukkural, a famous ancient Tamil book written by poet-philosopher Thiruvalluvar, to President Vladimir Putin. The literary gift came as Modi met the Russian president in Delhi for bilateral talks on the sidelines of the 18th BRICS summit.
An image shared by news agency ANI shows the moment Modi presented one of the most revered works of Tamil literature to the Russian president.
What is Thirukkural?
Thirukkural, also known as Tirukkural, is a classical Tamil text attributed to the revered poet-saint Thiruvalluvar. It consists of 1,330 two-line couplets that offer guidance for an ethical and righteous life without being associated with any particular god, caste or creed.
The teachings in the text focus on three main themes: aram (virtue), porul (wealth and statesmanship), and inbam (love). It is derived from the words Thiru (sacred/blessed) and Kural (a short two-line poetic form).
The Thirukkural is highly respected among Tamils and is often referred to as the “Tamil Veda”. Scholars also consider it an important work of aphoristic literature.
Putin arrives in Delhi for the BRICS summit
Putin arrived in the capital earlier in the day to attend the 18th BRICS summit, scheduled for September 12-13. Union Minister for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh welcomed the Russian President on his arrival.
Putin later held a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Modi that lasted about 50 minutes. Putin was accompanied by a high-level delegation. It is his first personal attendance at a BRICS summit outside of Russia since the start of the war in Ukraine in February 2022.
Indo-Russian ties
The Ministry of External Affairs highlighted the “multifaceted and long-standing” bilateral relations between India and Russia.
In a post on X, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, “Warmly welcome Russian President Vladimir Putin to the 18th BRICS Summit. Received MoS @KVSinghMPGonda at the airport. India and Russia share multi-faceted and long-standing ties anchored in a special and privileged strategic partnership.”
Putin will also address the BRICS trade forum later in the day.
India is hosting the BRICS Summit 2026 on September 12 and 13. The event will be held at the Bharat Mandapam in Delhi. It comes at a crucial time as the world grapples with war in Iran and Ukraine.
The two-day BRICS summit hosted by India is expected to focus on strengthening collective resilience in food, energy, health, disaster reduction and critical supply chains, with New Delhi positioning the bloc as an effective anchor for navigating a fragmented geopolitical environment.
(With input from agencies)
