IPS officer recites couplets from Thirukkural to motivate

Poetry is seldom associated with the toughness the job of a police officer entails.

But it is precisely because of his love for verses loaded with messages in lofty human ideals and conduct that Deputy Commissioner of Police,Chennai, R Thirunavukkarasu, has been made brand ambassador for the works of legendary Tamil poet and humanist Tiruvalluvar, who had sounded on subjects as varied as ethidcs, politics, economics and delicate matters of love centuries ago.

The officer said he has had more than the usual exposure to Tamil literature, in particular the reatise of Thirukkural, from an early age, since his parents were teachers.

 

Thirunavukkarasu said he had been reading out a couplet from the Kural each day for many years as he thought it would help and motivate him.

"Life has become stressful for most of us and I thought reading out one couplet from the Kural every day would help and motivate me. I have been doing it for years."

The 44-year old officer hit upon the idea of introducing the practice of reading or reciting a couplet from the Kural to police personnel working under him to benefit them also.

"So with the permission of my superior officers, I started the practice of reciting one couplet from the Kural before the start of the roll call every day for police personnel about seven years ago."

It worked and very well as it became a kind of a stress buster for them, he said.

"I choose an appropriate couplet everyday to sync with the specific task assigned for the personnel and it helps, guides and motivates them," he says.

Even as he was doing it, he found school going children to be "many times more burdened than we were."

So he hit upon the idea of making short animated videos on Kural for them.

In the videos, he gives the voice-over; illustrates the concepts of Kural by interspersing the lives of great men and women, ranging from kings of the yore to modern day scientists so that the children can connect to the idea.

To explain a couplet on a positive frame of mind and enthusiasm, he chronicles Isaac Newton's great discoveries and then amplifies the Kural's idea.

The officer said he found that the videos he made and shared were liked not only by children, but adults as well.

"It is shared on Whatsapp by many people and I even got calls from the Tamil diaspora, appreciating the time spent for taking the Kural to more people through such short videos," he said.

"Life becomes easy, purposeful and rewarding for both the individual and the society at large by reading and following the Kural."

On Sept 1, he released his book "Thirukkuralodu Naam," (We with Thirukkural) and launched www.thirukkuralodunaam.com portal as well which hosts short animated videos on Kural.

The officer has also given lectures on Kural, self-motivation and self-confidence.

Showering praise on the Tamil classic, he said "it is a gift of our sage poet Thiruvalluvar not only to the Tamil people, but to the whole human race.. it is a practical guide of do's and dont's... please follow it.