The University was established by the Government of Tamil Nadu on 7th September, 1990 to cater to the long-felt needs of the people of the three southernmost districts of Tamil Nadu viz., Tirunelveli, Tenkasi, Thoothukudi, and Kanyakumari.
It is named after the renowned Tamil Poet scholar, Professor P. Sundaram Pillai (1855-1897), the author of the famous verse drama Manonmaniam. It is his poem that has become “Tamil Thaai Vazhthu” the official invocation song sung in all functions in Tamilnadu.
The motto of the University is “Reaching the Unreached”. The University has under its jurisdiction 91 affiliated Colleges, 6 University Colleges and 3 Constituent Colleges, about 1,20,000 students in regular mode and 40,000 students in distance mode.
I was nominated to the senate of the University in the formation years by the then Governor of Tamilnadu Dr.Chena Reddy in the year 1995. I served the senate for a period of 3 years
