Dr. S. Chandrakala is the Head of the Department and an Assistant Professor at the Department of Tamil at PPG College of Arts and Science. She has been working at the institute since 2018, before which she worked as a Guest Lecturer at Government Arts College, Coimbatore. Dr. Chandrakala holds a B.A. degree in Tamil, an M.A. in Tamil, an M.Phil., and a PhD in Tamil as well. She is the published author of a book and has presented 11 papers in her area of expertise. She has also taken part in 11 workshops and organised 64 different seminars and faculty development programs.

PPG College of Arts

What is the latest program that you are offering in your institute/dept. which will help students outperform and stand apart from the crowd?

In today's internet age, it is time to win the relationship with computers. Computer education is necessary to make the world aware of the cultural values of Tamil literature. Therefore, in our department, we have created a Kanithamil Council through which other professors are given teacher skill development training and students are trained in debugging through Wiki and around us in Wikipedia. We are providing training on how to upload events and data. This event helps students stand out in today's competitive world and understand our culture and progress in life.

What will you say the “best practices” in the course you’re offering?

Our goal is to provide students with an education in global humanistic life values, social contribution, social development, and conservation of nature through subjects ranging from Sangam literature to contemporary literature. We try to explain to the students the classical excellence and pride of the Tamil language through the syllabus, teaching the culture and traditions of the Tamil community to students and making them well-rounded. We also provide training to the students learning Tamil to speak and write in their mother tongue without error. The faculty members make efforts to bring out the multifaceted talents of the students, preparing them for competitive examinations of various types. To this end, we also motivate the students by conducting competitions like speech painting, essays, etc. to bring out their talents. The Geetha Tamil Parvai will work with its projects to provide students with knowledge about computer Tamil, typing in Tamil, creating short codes, creating websites, contributing to wiki projects, explaining the input of Tamil in the computer and its use, and improving the use of Tamil in the computer.

What are some valuable insights of the program that you are offering at your institute/dept.?

On the occasion of World Mother Language Day (21st February 2023) an awareness rally was held on behalf of the Tamil Department to create awareness about the mother tongue among the students. To inculcate in the minds of the students the revolutionary activities of the freedom fighters, a special lecture was held on behalf of the Tamil Department on Tirupur Kumaran, Tirupur Kumaran who defended the country. Also on 18th November 2011, which is the memorial day of the sailing Tamilan V U Chidambaram Pillai, our college professors and students visited the memorial where the check drawn by V U C was placed in the Central Jail complex, Coimbatore. In honour of Mahakavi Bharatiyar, on behalf of our Tamil department, we have organised special discourses, seminars and various competitions among students. In order to improve the reading skills among the students, the monthly Book Speaks event is being held on behalf of the Tamil Department.

How does the program ensure that students are being prepared for the future?

The Tamil department believes and tries to deliver the following among our students: water conservation for the world, food is medicine, and health is the progress of life. In order to teach these to the students and create awareness about physical health in the future generation, we organise events around World Water Day, Environment Day, Yoga Day and World Book Day. We have seminars, tree-planting ceremonies, and competitions where traditional food is made with an emphasis on natural ingredients. Today's literature is tomorrow's history, so various competitions help not only to improve book reading skills among students but also to make the student a better writer, so there is no doubt that he will become a better writer in the future under this program.

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How did you train yourself/faculty to deliver this program to the students?

We list the methods of conveying the importance of this program to the teachers, conducting teachers' meetings to inform the teachers about the listed information, and conducting various events to showcase the student's ability in the meeting. Moreover, we consult and provide training to the teachers on how to type Tamil in Orungukuri system during the training, preparation of invitation letters, method of awarding certificates to students to motivate them, method of certificate design, how to teach using computer teaching tools so that students are not distracted while teachers are teaching, etc. Training is also given under the Tamil Department, Tamil Literary Forum Kanithamil Peravai Vivekananda Reader Circle etc. 

What are the benefits and career options after pursuing this course?

By choosing to study Tamil, you can learn the morals and customs necessary for life, not just for job opportunities. Tamil State has become a great support for man to live as man. By choosing and studying Tamitura one can work as a school teacher, college professor, writer, orator, or a dramatist. Employment is available in various sectors in media. Since the government has given priority to those who have learned Tamil and it is the main subject in the group exams, the majority of them have a chance to get a job in government jobs. There are also many Tamil associations in Western countries, people who have learned Tamil go there to spread the fame of Tamil. There is no doubt that the most important reason why other countries like our Indian culture so much is our Tamil culture. It is a fact that there are many employment opportunities for those who have studied Tamil even across the ocean

What valuable advice would you like to give the students for them to have a prosperous career ahead?

Discipline gives rise to skill development that is relevant to the student's career opportunities. As citizens, students should learn to protect the natural resources of our country, as the wealth of our country lies in every student’s hands. As a good human being, it is necessary to protect our country, language and culture. Mother language is the identity of every human being so it is the duty of the students to build their careers along with the duty of protecting our mother language.

What made you decide to become a teacher?

 The first reason I became a teacher was because of my school teachers. The way they taught me and took care of me as a second parent is deeply imprinted in my mind. Only a teacher can make a student a better person in society, like a scientist, doctor, district ruler, engineer, teacher, or government official. For parents, their children are their own children, but the privilege of considering all the children they teach as their own children is present only in the teaching profession. This is what motivated me to pick up this profession.