The Tamil Literary Garden Scholarship was established in order to encourage and promote Tamil Studies in the diaspora, particularly among the second generation.

The essay topic for this year is “Building Bridges: Constructing a Tamil Community in Canada.” The Tamil Literary Garden invites undergraduates and graduate students to submit an essay on the above topic considering the challenges and limits of constructing a cohesive Tamil community in Canada. Although the term “Tamil Diaspora” is often used loosely to refer to all Tamils who have migrated to Canada, there is a clear dichotomy between the perceived sense of unity and the reality of multiplicity. The divisions across the Tamil community are many, including gender, class, religion, caste, and so forth. Generational differences add a further dimension to multiplicity. Some of these differences lead to ideological stances that are divisive and counterproductive. While the idea of erasing differences might well be utopian, the notion of building bridges is both possible and necessary.

The essay not exceeding 3000 words should be submitted on or before 30 April 2013 on line to ckanagan@chass.utoronto.ca.

Scholarship amount: $1000.