Apart from the conventional Tamil Literature education Manonmaniam Sundaranar University wanted to initiate a novel Department for Tamilstudies. To fulfill this intention it nominated a two member committee in 1995. Dr. V. I. Subiramanian the renowned Tamil scholar and the founder of Tamil University, DLA and Dravidian University and Dr.K.P.Aravanan, the former Vice Chancellor of Manonmaniam Sundaranar University were the committee members who recommended the University to start a Department of Tamil studies which had to be multi disciplinary in nature and focused research on Tamil studies.
With the recommendations of the committee Dr.Vasanthi Devi the then Vice Chancellor of MSU invited Dr.T.S.Natarajan,Professor of Tamil, Madurai Kamaraj University (on deputation basis) to built up a strong foundation for the proposed Department. Dr.T.S.Natarajan was appointed as the first Head of the Department of Tamil studies in 1996 and the department starts functioning under his headship. He studied the possibilities of enforcing the recommendations of the two member committee and proposed the University to start an integrated programme for research.
With the formal approval of the University an integrated Ph.D. programme was started in 1997 and in the same year Dr. Ramasamy was appointed as Reader. Dr.T.S.Natarajan completed his deputation period and left the Department in 1997. The University appointed Dr.T.Pramasivan as professor &Head and Dr.G.Stephen as Lecturer in 1998. In 1999 Dr.K.P.Aravanan became the Vice Chancellor of this University and he changed the face of the Department as Teaching and Research. With this new face the Department introduced M.A.Tamil and M.Phil Tamil programmes.
Now the Department offers M.A., M.Phil and Ph.D programmes in Tamil Studies. With this background the Department of Tamil studies has chosen Culture studies and Multidisciplinary perspective on Literature as its thrust areas.
