Tripura Vijaya Deva
The Tamil Arts Academy is celebrating its Silver Jubilee this year (2025). Established by the renowned Archaeologist and Indologist Dr. R. Nagaswamy and his children, the Academy aims to serve as a model for other scholars who have accumulated valuable material over the years. The Academy was founded in Besant Nagar in January 2000 on Dr. Nagaswamy’s 70th birthday. It boasts a wealth of material on Indian Art and History. It houses hundreds of books in Sanskrit, Tamil, and English, along with 7,000 color slides and 10,000 photographs on Indian Art, with new additions every month.
The Tamil Arts Academy is an institution engaged in the study, survey, data collection, publication, preservation and providing facilities for research Scholars in Arts, Literature, Religion, Philosophy and Culture. Its study extends to whole of India and South Asia in general and Tamil Nadu in particular. It also pays attention to contacts of the Tamils with other parts of the world. It is a fact that the Indian and South Asian Art and Civilization are deeply rooted in the Vedas. It firmly believes that Tamil civilization can be fully and properly comprehended by a study of Sanskrit language and literature in the context of larger Indian heritage. It also believes visual representations of India's heritage by its temples, sculptures, paintings, inscriptions, manuscripts, medicine and allied sastras and oral traditions are the most telling evidences that require greater attention.
The Academy hopes to make its facilities available to research scholars and provide training in fields such as Epigraphy and Iconography. As one of the most welcome additions to the Madras Heritage scene, the Academy can be accessed at tamilarts.academybooks@gmail.com.
The website offers a wealth of information on various aspects of Tamil heritage, including:
Historical Studies: Detailed explorations of Tamil kings, their Vedic practices, and the influence of Dharma Sāstra.
Literature and Poetry: Insights into Saṅgam literature, including works like Puṟanāṉūru and Silappadikāram, which highlight the integration of Vedic traditions in Tamil society.
Art and Architecture: Discussions on the contributions of Tamil kings to art and architecture, including the establishment of Vedic colleges and the construction of temples.
Music and Dance: Information on Tamil music and dance forms, with references to ancient texts like Bharata’s Nātya Śāstra.
The Academy has released 32 periodical journals featuring numerous articles and photographs authored by Dr. Nagaswamy. These articles are well-referenced for authenticity and have served as preludes to many best-selling books, such as Tamil Nadu, The Land of the Vedas. Additionally, the Academy has made most of Dr. Nagaswamy's books available for free in both English and Tamil for researchers. They have also digitized many rare Tamil books published over a century ago, making them accessible under a separate category.
Dr. Ramachandran Nagaswamy (1930-2022) was a renowned Indian historian, archaeologist, and epigraphist, known for his extensive work on Tamil Nadu's temple inscriptions and art history. Some key highlights of his career include:
Director of Tamil Nadu Archaeology Department: He served from 1966 to 1988, making significant contributions to the field of archaeology.
Chola Bronzes Expert: Dr. Nagaswamy was an authority on Chola bronzes and conducted numerous studies on South Indian art and architecture.
Publications and Lectures: He authored several books and articles, and was a popular lecturer, making archaeology accessible to the public.
Awards and Honors: He received the Padma Bhushan in 2018 for his contributions to art and Archaeology.
Dr. Nagaswamy’s work has left a lasting impact on the understanding and preservation of Tamil heritage.
