New Delhi, Sep 11 (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday gave a copy of the Russian translation of Thirukkural — the classical Tamil poem collection authored by legendary poet and philosopher Thiruvalluvar — during his bilateral meeting with President Vladimir Putin ahead of the BRICS Summit.
Thirukkural, a seminal work by much-revered Thiruvalluvar, contains words of wisdom on multiple subjects.
“Presented President Putin with a Russian translation of the Thirukkural, which carries the eternal wisdom of the great Thiruvalluvar across languages and borders,” Modi posted on X.
He also shared a small video clip of his meeting with Putin, as the two leaders cordially shook hands after the prime minister presented him with the book.
The Modi-Putin talks at the Bharat Mandapam in Delhi came a day ahead of the BRICS Summit, which is being hosted by India on September 12 and 13.
The prime minister met the Russian president for wide-ranging talks that are likely to focus on enhancing annual bilateral trade to USD 100 billion by 2030 and further strengthening cooperation in defence, energy and critical minerals.
The two leaders are also expected to delve into expanding the already-strong defence cooperation.
Putin landed in New Delhi this morning on a three-day visit to participate in the BRICS summit.
Modi warmly received him in the meeting room at the Bharat Mandapam, which has been decked up for the mega summit.
He gave Putin a copy of the Russian translation of Thirukkural, its cover page bearing an image of Thiruvalluvar, along with the series title, ‘Ancient Tamil Classics in Translation Series — Text Transliteration and Translation’.
In January 2026, addressing a gathering at the Pongal celebrations here, Modi had noted that Thirukkural also contains extensive writings on agriculture and farmers. PTI KND PRK
