Tiruvalluvar

Ancient Tamil poet-philosopher whose ethical teachings transcend religious boundaries

Tiruvalluvar, a 1st-century BCE Tamil sage from South India, authored the Tirukkural, a 1,330-verse treatise that redefined ethical philosophy without aligning with specific religious doctrines. This tripartite work covers:

1. Aram (Virtue)
2. Porul (Wealth)
3. Inbam (Love)

Remarkably secular and practical, the Kural's teachings influenced:

• Gandhi's non-violence principles
• European Enlightenment thinkers via Jesuit translations
• Modern management theories

Unlike contemporary Sanskrit texts restricted to Brahmins, Tiruvalluvar wrote in accessible Tamil. His verses about gender equality (A woman's worth is not determined by her beauty but wisdom) and social justice predated similar Western concepts by millennia. UNESCO's 1976 recognition as 'Universal Ethical Code' confirms its enduring relevance.