The Tamil Nadu government has issued an advisory to all the heads of departments and senior officials requesting them to use Tamil as the language in all official communications except for the exempted categories.

V Rajaraman, Secretary, Tamil Development and Information Department, on April 14 in the advisory said that the government orders and official circulars should be issued only in Tamil. He reiterated the existing provisions and orders that mandated the use of Tamil as the official language in all government offices.

The letter was addressed to Additional Chief Secretaries, Principal Secretaries, Secretaries, departments at the Secretariat, District Collectors, and heads of departments According to the Official Languages Act, Tamil is the official language of the Government of Tamil Nadu, the letter said.

Letters received in Tamil from the public, should be answered in Tamil and all references should be in Tamil. Government servants should sign in Tamil. The ordinances published in English by the Chief Secretariat departments should be translated in Tamil, the advisory says.

The advisory referred to the Government Order issued by the department on the implementation of the Tamil Official Languages Act from 1971 to March 18, 2025 that highlighted the various initiatives taken up on the development of Tamil language.

The advisory assumes importance following the remarks by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Rameswaram on April 6. PM Modi said that while he receives several letters from Tamil Nadu leaders, none are signed in Tamil. If they are truly proud of their language, they should at least sign their names in Tamil, he said while addressing a public rally after inaugurating the newly constructed Pamban Bridge.

The advisory comes at a time when the Tamil Nadu government is upping its ante against the Centre three language formula saying it was a move to impose Hindi in the State.

Published on April 16, 2025