Industries Minister Thangam Thennarasu on Monday said the government would resolve the issues related to distributing bus passes to students studying in government music schools in various districts.

“As a Minister who is also in-charge-of art and culture, I will look into the issue and set right the practical difficulties. Students studying in music schools and colleges are not inferior to students enrolled in regular schools and colleges,” he said while receiving the special postal cover issued on nagaswaram player Karukurichi P. Arunachalam on the occasion of his birth centenary.

G. Natarajan, Postmaster General, Chennai City Region, released the special cover at a function organised by Parivadhinai, an organisation promoting music, particularly nagaswaram music. Nagaswaram player Mambalam Natarajan also received a copy.

Recalling what he had learnt from his leader M. Karunanidhi, Mr. Thennarasu said “respect matters more to artistes than remuneration.” He said Karukurichiyar exemplified Tiruvalluvar’s dictum that “a great man is known by what he had left behind” and “his contribution to the music world explains his greatness as an artiste.”

“There are requests for setting up a music school in his name and installing a statue for him. They are under consideration of the government and I will take it to the notice of the Chief Minister, who met the grandson of Karukurichiyar during his visit to Dubai,” he said.

Mr. Natarajan said the special cover would be displayed in the philatelic exhibitions and its presence would explain the greatness of Arunachalam.