Shriram Group announces 2026 State-level Thirukkural contests for students
Shriram Ilakkiya Kazhagam, the literary division of the Shriram Group, a prominent non-banking financial company, has announced the 'Thirukkural Elocution, Drawing and Essay Contests 2026'. The annual state-level competition is open to school and college students across Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. The contests aim to promote the timeless values and literary richness of the Thirukkural, a classic Tamil text comprising 1,330 couplets on ethics, governance, and love.
The competition will be conducted across 12 centres from July 18 to August 30, 2026. The Coimbatore zone event is scheduled for August 2 at Suburban Higher Secondary School, Ram Nagar. Other venues and dates include Salem (July 18), Vellore (July 19), Thiruvarur (July 25), Puducherry (July 26), Erode (August 1), Thanjavur (August 8), Tiruchirappalli (August 9), Madurai (August 22), Tirunelveli (August 23), Chennai (August 29), and Tambaram (August 30).
Participants will be divided into three categories: Juniors for students in classes 6 to 8; Seniors for classes 9 to 12; and College for undergraduate, postgraduate, engineering, medical, and polytechnic students. The contests will include elocution, drawing, and essay writing, each designed to test different facets of understanding and creativity. Elocution participants will present recitations and explanations of selected couplets; drawing contests will invite artistic interpretations of Thirukkural themes; and essays will require analytical writing on the relevance of the verses in contemporary life.
The Thirukkural, composed by the sage Tiruvalluvar over two millennia ago, remains one of the most celebrated works in world literature. Its concise couplets cover dharma (aram), wealth (porul), and love (inbam), offering ethical guidance that transcends time and borders. The elocution segment will require participants to memorise and deliver a chosen verse along with its meaning and contemporary application. Judges will evaluate clarity, pronunciation, and interpretation. In the drawing competition, students will illustrate a given theme from the Thirukkural, with attention to creativity and relevance. The essay contest will demand critical thinking, with prompts focusing on the modern relevance of the couplets, and entries will be judged on content, structure, and originality.
The initiative seeks to encourage young minds to engage with classical Tamil literature and enhance their linguistic and artistic skills. By organising the event across multiple cities, the organisers aim to ensure widespread participation from students in both urban and rural areas. The Shriram Group has a long-standing commitment to cultural and educational activities, and this contest is part of its corporate social responsibility efforts. Teachers and parents have welcomed the initiative, noting its role in supplementing school curricula with moral education. Past participants have reported increased confidence and a deeper appreciation for Tamil culture.
Interested students can collect application forms from the nearest Shriram Chits branches or download them from the official website, www.shriramchits.com. The last date for submission and other details are available on the website. The competition is free of charge, and all participants will receive certificates, with winners and runners-up awarded prizes and recognition. Health and safety guidelines, if applicable, will be communicated closer to the event dates.
For further information, students and institutions may contact the organisers through the contact details provided on the website. The event is expected to draw thousands of entries, continuing its tradition of fostering a love for the Thirukkural among the younger generation.
