Tamils of Bengal, authored by Srinivasan Sampath Kumar, a Tamil born in West Bengal, is the first-ever attempt to portray the Tamil connection with Bengal during the ancient period as well as the present.
Tamils are generally shy and introverted, living to themselves and they cherish their old culture, traditions, and habits. The historical perspectives include the Tamil Chola King’s subjugation of Bengal and a community from Tamil Nadu settling down in an obscure Panchkot kingdom of Bengal, 250 km away from Kolkata.
The stories of many Tamils who have served Bengal by their assignments or vocations find interestingly narrated in the chapters. Much of the contemporary part depended on the inputs from a very few living octogenarians, given the non-existence of any records or community archives.
Kumar knew personally many who are featured in the book and painstakingly brought out vibrant and unique community details in an engaging manner. The book is fascinating, both as a leisure read and a piece of the rich, diversified history of India.