Study of Classical Tamil and Indology

[AppuArchie]

Dr. S. Palaniappan needs no testimonial from me. I was almost chastised for
even quoting about the antiquity of THOLKAPPIYAM. Dr. Palaniappan wrote:

�I joined the Indology list about one year ago. My experience with the list
has confirmed my earlier impression even more. In an objective pursuit of
Indological truth, if the study of Dravidian is very important, the study of
Classical Tamil is absolutely indispensable. Many Indologists in the past, by
confining themselves to Indo-Aryan or Indo-European databases of facts,  have
failed to grasp the truth which they could have done easily by extending their
inquiry into the Dravidian side. Whatever be the outcome of the specific
discussions we recently had on Indology involving materials in  Indo-Aryan and
Dravidian languages, there can be no doubt that a collaborative effort of
Indo-Iranian/Indo-Aryan/Sanskrit and Dravidian/Classical Tamil scholars can go
a long way towards answering many questions related to the roots of Indian
culture and raising some previously unrealized  possibilities.�

I found some solace in the passage quoted below as I find it fits some
academics who jumped into the fray to ridicule any non-academic claim that
Tamil may be the mother of all languages as claimed by Tamil scholars based on
Tamil literature. As always, such views from peers, as quoted below, do not
apply to all academics. It is of only one size and if it fits that size only,
so be it.

�I am very uneasy as an academic. I dislike the world academia profoundly. I
earn my living from it but not only do I dislike the world of academia, I
dislike most academics. So I am viewed with a certain amount of disapproval. I
find academics in general singularly unwilling to make a moral commitment.
Singularly unwilling to declare what they know when it becomes rather awkward
to declare it. Unwilling to jeopardize their carreers, even when they possess
truths that they ought to disclose. This is a sad lesson I have learned from
my experience as a journalist. As soon as you make a commitment to tell the
truth, you are denounced from all quarters as being subjective, unsound, and
unacademic or impressionistic. This has been my experience.� (Ref. �David
Selbourne Rides Again�, Saturday Review, 10th August, 1985.
        Assess the Good and Evil of man                 KURAL 504
        Judge him from the sum algebraic.               English Rendition by AppuArchie.

I do not want to be pelted with bouquets or brickbats, direct them towards the
authors please.