# Tamil Nadu university convocation song controversy

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/tamil-nadu-university-convocation-song-controversy
> Updated: 2026-07-28T09:19:15.000Z. Sources: 7. Developments: 3.

In late July 2026 Sundaranar University in Tirunelveli scheduled its 33rd convocation with a ceremony order that placed the Indian national anthem before the state song “Tamil Thayi Vazhthu”. The directive, issued by the Governor’s office following a Raj Bhavan instruction, prompted immediate criticism. The Marxist Communist Party, Pattali Makkal Katchi and the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee president Manikam Tagore denounced the placement, urging Home Minister Amit Shah to rescind the order and apologise, and the university vice‑chancellor N. Chandrasekhar defended the arrangement as compliance with the Raj Bhavan order.

On 28 July the governor, Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, presided over the ceremony and instructed that the Tamil Mother Song be performed third, after “Vande Mataram” and the national anthem. The change delayed the event by about an hour and sparked further protests. The DMK, CPI and other regional parties joined earlier critics, calling the ordering a violation of tradition and an affront to Tamil cultural identity. The episode has deepened the debate over the balance between national symbols and regional cultural expression at university functions, and political leaders continue to demand a revision of the protocol and a public apology.

## Timeline

### 2026-07-28: Manonmaniam Sundaranar University Graduation Stirs Tamil Mother Song Protest

At Manonmaniam Sundaranar University’s convocation, the Tamil Nadu governor ordered the Tamil Mother Song to be sung third, prompting political parties to denounce the change and delay the ceremony.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/manonmaniam-sundaranar-university-graduation-stirs-tamil-mother-song-protest

### 2026-07-26: Tamil Nadu university convocation song order sparks political protest

A directive to start Sundaranar University’s July 28 convocation with “Vande Mataram” before the Tamil state song has drawn criticism from Tamil Nadu’s Congress, MK and PMK, who demand the order be reversed, c‑

4 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/tamil-nadu-university-convocation-song-order-sparks-political-protest

### 2026-07-25: South Asian university graduations draw crowds, stir controversy

Sri Lanka's University of the Southeast awarded 3,398 graduates at its 18th convocation, while Tamil Nadu's Mano Maniyam Sundaranar University faced criticism for placing the state song third in its 33rd convoy

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/south-asian-university-graduations-draw-crowds-stir-controversy

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Cite as: Tamil Nadu university convocation song controversy. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/tamil-nadu-university-convocation-song-controversy