Coimbatore, June 24: A book exhibition was opened at the World Tamil Semmozhi Conference complex by Union Minister for Shipping G K Vasan, with Malaysian Minister for Human Resources, Dr Subramaniam, as the chief guest. Former Union minister T R Baalu inaugurated the general exhibition. Union Textiles Minister Dayanidhi Maran declared open the Internet exhibition with UNESCO director, Armoogam Parsuramen, was the chief guest.
Vasan congratulated Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi, the state government and the various committees of the government for putting in a stupendous effort to organise the conference at Coimbatore.
The Union Minister pointed out that it was the Congress-led UPA government which granted classical language (Semmozhi) status which was a long-pending and justified demand of the Tamils. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, on the advice of UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, had acted on the demand of the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and done the needful, he added.
Malaysian minister Dr Subramaniam, speaking after the inauguration of the general exhibition, said Internet must be used in a better way to attract the youth towards greater use of Tamil language. He said his ancestors had moved out of Sivaganga district over 120 years ago to Malaysia. Today, though he was a Malaysian citizen, he was still a Tamilian at heart.
 Dayanidhi Maran said Internet would play a vital role in ensuring that youth stayed in touch with Tamil language and culture.
Armoogam Parsuramen said Tamil language represented one of the oldest civilisations of the world and every effort should be made to propagate and popularise it all over the world.
Karunanidhi, Deputy Chief Minister M K Stalin, Union and state ministers were among those present at the function.
At another function, Union Minister for Communication and Information Technology A Raja released a CD on Tamil software tools.
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