imported>Steve M: /* Biography */clean up, typo(s) fixed: world wide → worldwide, ’s → 's, 1920-22 → 1920–22 (2)

2021-02-03T22:24:12Z

Biography: clean up, typo(s) fixed: world wide → worldwide, ’s → 's, 1920-22 → 1920–22 (2)

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{{Infobox person
|name = Rev. Xavier S. Thani Nayagam<br><small>தனிநாயகம் அடிகளார்</small>
|image =
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|birth_name =
|birth_date = {{Birth date|1913|8|2}}
|birth_place = [[Kayts]], [[Jaffna District]], [[Sri Lanka]]
|death_date = {{death date and age|1980|9|1|1913|8|2}}
|death_place = [[Jaffna]], [[Sri Lanka]]
|death_cause =
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|nationality =[[Sri Lankan Tamil]]
|other_names =
|known_for = Founder of the International Association for Tamil Research (IATR)
|education =
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|website= https://web.archive.org/web/20130707111944/http://thaninayagamadigalar.com/
|}}
Reverend '''Xavier S. Thani Nayagam''' ({{lang-ta|சேவியர் தனிநாயகம்}}, 2 August 1913 - 1 September 1980) was a [[Tamil language|Tamil]] scholar known for setting up the International Association for Tamil Research (IATR) and organising the first [[World Tamil Conference]]. He is praised as the "Roving Ambassador for Tamil".

==Biography==
[[File:Luso Tamil Catechism Lisbon 1554.JPG|right|thumb|250px|A page from the first printed Tamil book - Luso-Tamil Catechism (Cartilha) printed in [[Lisbon]] in 1554 CE. It was rediscovered by Thaninayagam in the 1950s.]]
Born as Xavier Nicholas Stanislaus, he later came to be called as Xavier Stanislaus Thaninayagam (his last name is often written as two words - Thani Nayagam) and also respectfully as "Thaninayagam Adigal". Thaninayagam was born in [[Kayts]], [[Jaffna Peninsula]] in [[British Ceylon]]. His parents were Naganathan Stanislaus and Cecilia Bastiampillai. He chose the surname Thaninayagam (literally "lone hero") after becoming a Roman Catholic priest. During 1920–22, he studied at St.Patrick's College, Jaffna. In 1934 he obtained his BA in Philosophy from St. Bernard's seminary, [[Colombo]]. Though he was a [[Tamil people|Tamil]] by birth, he did not learn the language until he was much older. During his younger days, he learnt and became fluent in many European languages such as [[English language|English]], [[Latin]], [[Italian language|Italian]], [[French language|French]], [[German language|German]], [[Spanish language|Spanish]] and [[Portuguese language|Portuguese]].

He first learnt Tamil while working as a teacher in the St. Theresa convent, Vadakkankulam in the [[Tirunelveli District]]. In 1945, he enrolled in the [[Annamalai University]] to study [[Tamil literature]]. His Masters thesis was on [[Sangam literature]] and was titled "Nature in ancient Tamil Poetry". After finishing his studies, he embarked on a worldwide tour to promote Tamil language and literature. He lectured on these subjects in Japan, Chile, Brazil, Peru, Mexico, Ecuador and America. During his tour, he searched the European libraries for medieval Tamil manuscripts and identified several early Tamil printed books. ''Cartilha'' (1556), ''[[Henrique Henriques|Tambiran Vanakkam]]'' (1578), ''Kirisitiani Vanakkam'' (1579) and the first Tamil-Portuguese dictionary, compiled by Antem de Proenca are a few of them. He founded a quarterly academic journal called ''Tamil Studies'' and ran it till 1966. During 1961–66, he served as the Dean, Faculty of Arts and as head of the Indian studies department at the [[University of Malaya]].

In 1964, Thaninayagam along with [[Kamil Zvelebil]] and V. I. Subramaniam convened a meeting of Tamil scholars attending the Oriental scholars conference at [[New Delhi]] and formed the International Association for Tamil Research (IATR). He was also instrumental in organising the first World Tamil Conference at Kuala Lumpur in 1966. IATR went on to become the primary body directing research in all fields related to Tamil and has since organised seven more such conferences. Leaving Malaysia in 1969, Thaninayagam taught at the universities of [[University of Paris|Paris]] and [[University of Naples Federico II|Naples]] before retiring and returning home to [[Sri Lanka]].

Thaninayagam died in 1980. The [[University of Jaffna]] conferred an honorary doctorate on him after his death.<ref>{{cite web|last=Amudhan Adigal|title=The roving Ambassador of Tamil|url=http://www.hinduonnet.com/2003/08/27/stories/2003082704130600.htm|work=[[The Hindu]]|access-date=8 February 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Rev. Fr. Thamil Nesan|title=Making Tamil a classical language: Fr. Thaninayagam’s contribution|url=http://www.island.lk/index.php?page_cat=article-details&page=article-details&code_title=396|work=The Island|access-date=8 February 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Sri Lankan Tamill Scholars feel themselves being ignored by WCTC organisers|url=http://www.asiantribune.com/news/2010/06/27/sri-lankan-tamill-scholars-feel-themselves-being-ignored-wctc-organisers|work=Asian Tribune|access-date=8 February 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=ந. முருகேசபாண்டியன்|title=தமிழாய்வினுக்கு வித்திட்ட தனிநாயகம் அடிகளார்!|url=http://www.tamilheritage.org/thfcms/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=180&Itemid=253|access-date=8 February 2011|newspaper=[[Dina Mani]]}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20130707111944/http://thaninayagamadigalar.com/ thaninayagamadigalar.com]
*[http://www.ulakaththamizh.org/JOTSArticle.aspx?id=163 Biography of Xavier Thaninayagam]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20141005165806/http://dearotherpeople.com/2012/09/20/my-grandmothers-brother-philipupillai-father-xavier-thaninayagam/ My grandmother’s brother, Father Xavier Thaninayagam], Kevin Philipupillai

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Thaninayagam, Xavier}}
[[Category:1913 births]]
[[Category:1980 deaths]]
[[Category:Alumni of St. Patrick's College, Jaffna]]
[[Category:People of British Ceylon]]
[[Category:Sri Lankan Tamil academics]]
[[Category:Tamil scholars]]
[[Category:People from Northern Province, Sri Lanka]]

Xavier Thaninayagam - Revision history

imported>Steve M: /* Biography */clean up, typo(s) fixed: world wide → worldwide, ’s → 's, 1920-22 → 1920–22 (2)