| | 8 JULY 2024HIGHERReviewAs a researcher and lecturer in Tamil Language and Literature at the National institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NIE NTU, Singapore), Dr Dhamaraj Sundararaj's academic interest started as early as during his undergraduate days studying Tamil Literature in a college in Madurai. As iron sharpens iron, Dr Sundararaj, surrounded by like-minded classmates who excelled in poetry writing, engaged in writing poems, often inspired by scenes that sparked new ideas. "If I couldn't immediately transform these ideas into poems, I made sure to jot them down. Very often I was surprised to discover that these ideas had evolved into detailed descriptions which eventually laid the foundation for my research endeavours," chuckled Dr Sundararaj.Gone are the days of a young undergraduate doodling in his notepad. In its place now is a contributing faculty member at NIE who counts "language" and "literature" as his twin pillars which he relies on to fulfill his academic dreams of pursuing research and learning. "At 28, I successfully obtained my Doctor of Philosophy from Jawaharlal Nehru University, a prestigious university in India," revealed Dr Sundararaj, "My interests in languages didn't stop there. I have nurtured a deep fascination for unravelling the intricacies of Tamil as well as other languages." Indeed, it was Dr Sundararaj's Tamil professor during his postgraduate studies at the Madurai Kamaraj University who instilled in him a deep interest in the study of language, leaving an indelible impact on Dr Sundararaj's intellectual development. Following his graduation, Dr Sundararaj served as a researcher and lecturer at various esteemed institutions in both India and Germany. "However, it was NIE's emphasis on applied linguistics, which delves into the practical aspects of language studies, that primarily influenced my decision to join NIE," shared Dr Sundararaj. As part of his research at NIE, Dr Sundararaj is drawn to the comparative analysis of Tamil with other ancient languages, employing various linguistics approaches and delving into the exploration of the diverse forms of Tamil, including regional dialects, social dialects, and religious dialects. More recently, his research has focused on studying the comparative phonological theories present in the earliest traditional grammars of Tamil (Tolkappiyam, BC300), Greek (Techne grammatika, BC200) and Arabic (Al-Kitab, AD800). "My area of interest involves the examination of classical and modern theories related to language description and language teaching, as well as the exploration of linguistics theories in classical languages such as Greek, Sanskrit, and Arabic," added Dr Sundararaj. "I was particularly fascinated to learn that Tolkappiyam, an ancient Tamil grammar treatise renowned for its scholarly insights, elucidated the fundamental principles of the Tamil language with exceptional clarity and accuracy two millennia ago."Dr Sundararaj observed that the way in which Toklappiyam grappled with various linguistic challenges and proposed solutions to teaching-related dilemmas persists to this day. Serving as a driving force in his academic pursuit, Dr Sundararaj's study of the comparative analysis of the AN NTU LECTURER WITH AN INTERNATIONAL WORLDVIEW EXPLORES TAMIL LANGUAGE AND LITERATUREIN MY VIEWBy Dr Dhamaraj Sundararaj, National Institute of Education, Nanyang TechnologicalUniversity, SingaporeDr Dhamaraj Sundararaj
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