Echoing through centuries, the Tirukkural has been nothing short of a moral compass for reformers across India. Its pithy couplets—each brimming with universal truths—offered a scaffold upon which social change architects built their visions.

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Tamil renaissance figures such as Ramalinga Swamigal and Subramania Bharati drew inspiration from its calls for equality and righteous conduct. When Mahatma Gandhi embarked on village upliftment and championed eradication of untouchability, echoes of Thiruvalluvar’s insistence on human dignity resonated in his speeches. Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, spearheading Dalit rights, often referred to the Tirukkural’s advocacy of social justice and non-discrimination as a potent counterargument to caste-based oppression.

Fast-forward to the post-independence era, Periyar E.V. Ramasamy’s Self-Respect Movement found unexpected common ground in Thiruvalluvar’s disdain for social hierarchies. While Periyar wrestled with religious orthodoxy, he also highlighted the Tirukkural’s secular ethics—underscoring that virtue transcends ritual.

Today, its influence ripples through modern campaigns for gender equity and environmental stewardship. The “Green Tirukkural” initiative launched earlier this year in Chennai plants saplings alongside Kural verses, blending ancient wisdom with contemporary ecological urgency. Meanwhile, online communities translate its insights to mobilize youth around mental health—applying couplets on inner tranquility to destigmatize therapy.

These days, scholars point out that philosophies embedded in the Tirukkural dovetail neatly with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. From poverty alleviation (Aram) to fair governance (Porul) and personal well-being (Inbam), its triadic structure feels strikingly prescient in 2025’s global milieu.

Rather than gathering dust on a shelf, the Tirukkural continues standing the test of time, lighting the path for every earnest reform movement. Its blend of brevity and depth ensures that, even in an age of information overload, a few well-turned couplets can spark the kind of soul-searching that births real change.