Bill Text: NY K00011 | 2025-2026 | General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Memorializing Governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim January as Tamil Heritage Month in the State of New York

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)

Status: (Passed) 2025-01-14 - adopted [K00011 Detail]

Download: New_York-2025-K00011-Introduced.html

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Assembly Resolution No. 11

BY: M. of A. Rajkumar

        MEMORIALIZING  Governor  Kathy  Hochul to proclaim
        January as Tamil Heritage Month in the State of  New
        York in conjunction with the observance of Pongal to
        be celebrated January 14, 2025

  WHEREAS,  It  is the sense of this Legislative Body to recognize and
pay just tribute to the cultural heritage of  the  ethnic  groups  which
comprise  and  contribute to the richness and diversity of the community
of the State of New York; and

  WHEREAS,  Attendant  to  such  concern,  and  in  keeping  with  its
time-honored  traditions,  it  is the intent of this Legislative Body to
memorialize Governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim January as Tamil  Heritage
Month  in  the  State  of New York in conjunction with the observance of
Pongal to be celebrated January 14, 2025; and

  WHEREAS, The Tamil people, who trace their ancestry to the  southern
portion  of  the Indian subcontinent, are a vibrant community of over 80
million who make outstanding contributions around the world; and

  WHEREAS, The United  States  is  home  to  a  proud  Tamil  American
community,  which  has  increased  approximately five hundred percent in
this century; and

  WHEREAS, A major driver of the increase of the community  is  Tamils
utilizing the H1-B visa program for students and professionals, bringing
their talent and intellectual capital to our Great Nation; and

  WHEREAS,  The  Tamil American community preserves and celebrates its
heritage through a network of local sangams, beginning with the founding
of New York Tamil Sangam in 1970; and

  WHEREAS, Tamil Americans have reached the greatest of heights in our
Nation, having served as Executives of Fortune 500 companies, preeminent
scholars, tech entrepreneurs, virtuosos of the arts, leaders in  science
and medicine, and even Vice President of the United States; and

  WHEREAS,  New  York  is home to a thriving Tamil American community,
who have made their mark in a diverse array of fields; and

  WHEREAS, One of the most joyous holidays for the Tamil community  is
Pongal,  a  traditional  harvest  festival  dedicated to the solar deity
Surya; and

  WHEREAS, Pongal is a time to show gratitude to everything that  made
possible  the  harvest  - the farm workers, the good weather, the earth,
and the livestock; and

  WHEREAS, The most iconic tradition for the festival is preparing the
Pongal dish, made by boiling rice, milk, and sugar, which celebrates the
fruit of people's labor and symbolizes the "boiling over"  of  abundance
of the harvest; and

  WHEREAS,  Among other Pongal traditions are kolam artwork, replacing
old  possessions,  blessing  cattle,  family  gatherings,  and  siblings
affirming their love for each other; and

  WHEREAS,  This  Legislative Body is pleased to have this opportunity
to recognize such events of significance which foster ethnic  pride  and
exemplify  the  cultural  diversity  that represents and strengthens the
fabric of the people and the State of New York; now, therefore, be it

  RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its  deliberations  to
memorialize  Governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim January as Tamil Heritage
Month in the State of New York in conjunction  with  the  observance  of
Pongal to be celebrated January 14, 2025; and be it further

  RESOLVED,  That  copies  of  this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to the Consul General of India, New York Tamil  Sangam,  and
various Tamil organizations in the State of New York.