Tamil Sangam of Missouri (2024- 2025)


Board Members

Tamil Sangam of Missouri is an incorporated, non-profit 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization.  The current TSM Board comprises of the following Executive Committee and Directors. Executive Committee and Board of Directors will serve for two years in the community from January to December.


EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE2024-2025

President: Veera Pandian; Vice-President: Boopathi Samikkannu; Secretary: Geetha Kanikkanan; Joint-Secretary: Anuradha Nandakumar; Treasurer: Kannan Durairaj; Joint-Treasurer: Sivarajan Iyappan; Information Technology Director: Prabakar Natarajan;Joint-Info.Tech Director: Stanley Thomas; Event Management Director: Adalarasu Subramaniam; Joint Event Management Director: Rajavignesh Ramanathan; Tamil Linguistic Director: Elangovan Thangavelu; Joint Info. Tech Director: Meera JayapalBoard of Directors: Senthil Radhakrishnan, Rajagopal Karuppusamy, Sivabalan Sengodan, Manju Hari, Sarulatha Singaravelan


Mission

The mission of the Tamil Sangam is to cultivate, promote and foster the exchange of ideas and understanding between Tamil ethnicities and other cultures. It seeks excellence in its endeavors for the advancement of knowledge in Tamil language, literature and the arts through its programs. It strives to promote fellowship and to provide, organize and participate in cultural and social functions. The Tamil Sangam has a clear mandate to be a non-profit, non-partisan, cultural, servicebased and secular organization.In support of its mission, the Tamil Sangam shall:
1. Make all efforts to promote innovative scholarship and excellence in the teaching of the arts and language.
2. Assemble the best of the folk artistry of Tamil origin, allowing enthusiastic professional as well as amateur folk art performers to train in and perform a variety of art genres that will not only showcase their talents but also keep alive traditional art forms.
3. Actively engage in working to foster arts, language, service, and charitable programs that would provide genuine opportunities for TSM to make connections with other local, national and international communities to share knowledge and resources.
4. Promote a sense of active engagement in community affairs without endorsing any specific political group.
5. Strive continuously to improve and build upon its existing infrastructure for the greater good of the community in an ethical fashion.
6. Nurture a sense of sharing, service and socially responsible behavior in the young by supporting the service-based activities of TSM’s youth organization, TSYVO (Tamil Sangam Youth Volunteer Organization).


Tamil Sangam Youth Volunteer Organization

Tamil Sangam Youth Volunteer Organization (TSYVO) is a group of students working to make a positive difference in our community. We participate in various volunteer projects in St. Louis such as the Foodbank, soup kitchen, blanket making, sandwich making etc. We also volunteer at Tamil Sangam events such as the annual picnic by conducting games to raise money for our projects.  In the process, we develop our leadership skills and gain valuable insight and experience. How to Join Requirements to Join
Must be in or entering 6th to 12th grade (if you are signing up in the summer, we accept children who will be in 6th grade in the fall)
Parents must be members of Tamil Sangam of Missouri
We will add you to the mailing list and we will send you the details for our next meeting.
If you or your child is interested in joining TSYVO, please email us tsyvo2008@gmail.com.
For more info: https://sites.google.com/view/tsyvoyouthgroup/home
Tamil School of Missouri ( An autonomous organization )
TSM and Tamil School of Missouri have been working together closely and synergistically for a number of years for the benefit of the Tamil speaking community in the state of Missouri. Please refer to the attached Memorandum of Understanding document (Appendix 1) signed by TSM and Tamil School of Misouri for details.
Visit http://school.motamilsangam.org


About us

Inspired by the words of Kaniyan Poongundranar “யாதும் ஊரே யாவரும் கேளிர்” (To us all towns are one, all men our kin) tamilians are always spreading  wings in all corners of the world. Wherever we go we carry our precious language, culture and tradition with us. Tamil is one of the ancient and longest surviving classical languages in the world and tamil literature has existed for over 2000 years. We take pride in that and are taking every possible effort to take this forward.Tamil School of Missouri was founded 11 years ago with few students and has grown rapidly ever since and has 120 students registered this year. We are currently affiliated to the ATA (American Tamil Academy) and follow a curriculum devised by them for grades Mazhalai to Nilai 5. The school is run by a team of 40 dedicated teachers and technical volunteers who work  hard for this noble cause.
Curriculum is designed based on our culture as well the known activities, festivals and games in America.
Every year we conduct Tamil Bee Competitions and distribute prizes. The kids will be quizzed on Tirukural, Tamil speaking, singing, writing and comprehension etc.,


Mission

To systematically teach the language of Tamil, one of the oldest and most widely spoken classical languages in the world, to students aged four and above residing in the state of Missouri.

Vision

Our vision is to encourage an enduring interest in Tamil language, literature and culture among children living in the United States of America through regularly conducted educational programs, cultural events and social activities. These organized activities are designed  to provide our students with opportunities to apply the language and literary skills obtained from their school work. Tamizhisai Vizha music festival to allow for the young musicians in the St. Louis area to perform in a professional manner. It is a formal function, where music students apply ahead of time to perform, practice with their classical music teachers for the performance and then have an opportunity to showcase their training and talent to an appreciative audience. There are church choirs that come in and sing in Tamil alongside children as young as six years-old who are learning Tamil classical music. It is a proud and joyous occasion for us all.Missouri Tamil Sangha Pongal festival is celebrated every year in the month of January or February.
Missouri Tamil Sangha Chitra Festival is celebrated every year in April or May
Missouri Tamil Sangha Muthamil festival is celebrated every year in October or November.
Muthamil Festival is a festival for Tamil that evokes the theme of Dindamiz, which is frozen in natural music and drama Tamil.
In the year 2017, for the first time, the program 'Makalir Ahangu' has been started in Miselari Tamil Sangam. In all the Tamil Sangam's art programs, women are always around to look after their children for their performances. A show without any of these was started with the idea that only for women they would watch, enjoy, listen, play and have fun.
This event is a great opportunity for girls to showcase their talents. They sing sweet songs, dance gracefully, laugh and laugh at great jokes, share yoga, health and mental health tips, participate in active games, and cheer with enthusiasm. Women Only blooms as a show where the enthusiasm of women overflows, turning school days and college days into blooming memories.
In this event, women share all the work like sound, broadcasting, photography, video setup, stage decoration etc. and prove that they have the ability to be compassionate in all fields. In the future, there are many plans to discuss issues like stock market management, conduct seminars on family development welfare, community welfare etc. in women only program.
It's great to see friends from not only St.Louis, but from neighboring towns, come and join in and appreciate the camaraderie.
The Missouri Tamil Sangha Summer Walk is held every year in May or July.
The festival was called Pokhil Ulaan, where individuals and groups went to an oasis not far from the town and enjoyed cooking for a day. After reaching the oasis, all the others who were engaged in the work of Atisil (layer work) are left separately for different reactions. Among the men, the elders are separated to hunt, while the younger ones are engaged in activities such as tree-climbing, carp picking, and playing. The elders of Pendirul would sit down to work in Addis, while the younger ones would spread out to pick flowers and make garlands, make paa and enjoy it, swing and pump, and cook small rice with little effort. Some have to move in stages. Thus, everyone else engages in pleasure sports. After midday meal, it is normal to rest for a few hours and return home in the evening. Thus, it is a Tamil tradition to have potluck or pozilula (potluck) during the youth. In such tradition, every summer our society also conducts a summer festival. The mission of the association is that everyone should take part and take pride in it.


Seminar/Workshop

What is the reason to do that? It is the inadequacy of existing understanding. How does behavior go away? Better knowledge should abound. How can knowledge be attained? Everyone should learn. How does anyone know and learn so much? If you try long enough, you can. How to resolve grievances? Masses must revolt. What is the stain remover? Good opportunities are just around the corner. Therefore, our association has been conducting seminars, workshops, etc. from time to time with talented experts and talented artists to overcome the lack of opportunities and to stimulate our people in their search for knowledge. The magnanimity of coming together and participating and benefiting is admirable.
  301 Saint Andrews CtBallwin
Missouri 63011
Email:
committee@motamilsangam.org