The first TR@Y community discussion was held on 18 December 2015 at York University.

York University boasts a large Tamil student population, many of whom are active in student politics, extra-curricular activities and are high achievers overall. In spite of their great pride in their Tamil identity, the opportunities for these students to conduct research in the field of Tamil Studies are limited. This past year, the very first scholar for Tamil studies and research was offered by the Sivalingam family, and the inaugural Tamil Studies Symposium was held at York University. The success of the symposium, and the enthusiasm shown by the community and students have made it abundantly clear that the university is in need of research materials in the field of Tamil Studies. While the Scott Library has a useful collection for some undergraduate research, graduate research needs are largely unmet.

With this need in mind, the York Centre for Asian Research (YCAR), along with Tamil Studies Programming, has endeavoured to create a space for Tamil resources (TR@Y). We hope to bring together archival and other rare materials as well as a large collection of Tamil language books in this resource space. The material would be secure and accessible by both researchers and community members.

For more information: tamil@yorku.ca