India (Commonwealth Union) — US-based researcher and entrepreneur Dr. Baskaran Pillai has introduced a new digital initiative called “Tamil AI,” a platform designed to explore and retrieve ancient scientific knowledge embedded in the Tamil language using modern artificial intelligence. The project was formally launched at a well-attended event in Chennai, where scholars from India and abroad gathered to hear Dr. Pillai present his concept of what he describes as “Tamil AI Super-Intelligence.” The initiative aims to combine advances in AI technology with insights drawn from classical Tamil literature and linguistic traditions.
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Originally from Rameswaram and now a U.S. citizen, Dr. Pillai has long worked at the intersection of spirituality and science. He has previously given speeches at international gatherings such as the World Knowledge Forum in South Korea and the United Nations World Religions Forum. In addition, he founded the online spiritual services platform AstroVed and the international training center “Center for Mental Knowledge.” The foundation of Tamil AI is the idea that Tamil, which is frequently referred to as a heavenly language in spiritual traditions, has a special phonetic pattern that could affect human thought.
Dr. Pillai claims that intelligence patterns found in the Tamil phonetic system precede contemporary AI theories. He cites classical works like Tolkappiyam, Nannool, and Tirukkural as foundational texts that, in his opinion, contain sophisticated philosophical and linguistic ideas developed over a millennium ago. The “Global Tamil Knowledge Movement,” which Dr. Pillai started as part of the initiative, aims to digitally retrieve and examine old Tamil manuscripts. The research intends to find scientific interpretations of classic lyrics and to investigate how these might address contemporary issues by using AI technologies to analyze literary and grammatical texts.
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A key component of the initiative is a new online platform, Perarivu.ai, where researchers, students, and the public can access Tamil AI resources and tools. The Chennai launch featured speakers from international academic and research institutions who discussed artificial intelligence, its legal dimensions, and its potential applications in education. Dr. Pillai’s broader research program, known as “Phonemic Intelligence,” examines how specific sound patterns may affect brain function. According to his team, aspects of this work have been studied using brain-imaging tools such as fMRI and EEG in collaboration with institutions including Harvard University, Brain Science International, SRM University in Chennai, and the Detroit Public School System. The program has also been introduced in more than 800 public schools across Goa.
According to Pillai, Tamil literature — especially poetry from the Sangam era — offers in-depth discussions on knowledge systems, medicine, and human behavior, even though artificial intelligence is now widely recognized as a cutting-edge scientific discipline. He proposes that adding classical Tamil sources could broaden the reach of existing AI systems, which are limited by the data on which they are trained. He interprets classical metaphors to imply a close relationship between sound and matter, citing grammar writings that depict Tamil as arising from the atom.
Since all physical reality is composed of atoms, he argues, the structured repetition of certain phonetic forms could influence mental states. According to him, ancient Tamil scholars documented transformative words and sound patterns in literary works. Dr. Pillai cited studies of the 1,330 couplets of the Tirukkural and other classical verses, claiming that repeated engagement with specific words may shape thought patterns and behavior. So far, he said, his analysis has focused primarily on major literary works, but future research will examine additional manuscripts to uncover what he calls “hidden science” within the language.
The initiative also involves collaboration with Tamil scholars to digitize and interpret palm-leaf manuscripts and other historical documents. By building large datasets from these sources, the team hopes AI systems can generate fresh insights and possibly offer solutions to contemporary social and educational challenges. Dr. Pillai describes himself as an inventor, researcher, and global thought leader working to bridge ancient wisdom and modern science. Through Tamil AI and the Global Tamil Knowledge Movement, he envisions a future in which linguistic heritage and advanced technology work together, bringing traditional knowledge into dialogue with the rapidly evolving world of artificial intelligence.
