1974 Tamil conference incident

The 1974 Tamil Conference Incident refers to a significant political and social upheaval that occurred during the 19th World Tamil Conference held in Chennai, India, from January 9 to 12, 1974. The event, intended to celebrate Tamil culture and language, became marred by controversy when tensions arose between pro-Tamil activists and the Indian government regarding issues of linguistic rights and regional autonomy. A key moment in the incident was the arrest of several activists who demanded recognition of Tamil as an official language in various states. The incident reignited discussions on Tamil identity, language rights, and the socio-political dynamics affecting Tamil-speaking populations, leaving a lasting impact on Tamil nationalism and subsequent movements for linguistic and cultural recognition.