New Zealand Tamil Society (NZTS) is an incorporated charitable society in New Zealand. It was established in 1983 by the early Tamil settler from Sri Lanka. Since then, it has grown steadily to become one of the largest Tamil community organisations in New Zealand. Currently it has 350 members.

Main objectives:

• To promote and foster the Tamil language, arts, culture and tradition amongst the Tamils living in New Zealand
• To promote healthy living amongst the Tamil community.
• To facilitate new Tamil immigrants to the New Zealand Community.
• To help the suffering Tamils back in our home land to overcome poverty, internal displacement and military oppression.

President: 

Vice President: 

Secretary: 

Treasurer: 

Chair, Radio: 

Chair, Tamil school: 

Chair, Sports: 

Chair, Ethnic Affairs: 

Chair, Youth Affairs:

NZTS History

July1983 witnessed the worst suffering of the Tamils in Sri Lanka. This issue prompted wide discussion among the expatriate Tamils living in Auckland and a view was expressed that an organization of Tamils to be formed.

The discussions culminated in the formation of an Incorporated Tamil Society of New Zealand Auckland in October 1983. Similar organizations were also mooted to be formed in Wellington and Palmerstone North.

5 families in Auckland with a couple of Individuals were the inaugural members of this society. Our main aim was to help the suffering Tamils in Srilanka. We were able to collect funds from the Public of NZ to successfully negotiate this problem. We sent our funds to two rehabilitating organisations who were actively involved at that juncture.

At the same time, we wanted to promote our Tamil culture and language and in our constititution provision was made for Tamils to join our organisation. Multiculturalism was beginning to flourish at that time and it was an opportune moment for us to promote the aims of our association.. NZ created an ideal platform for us to grow from strength to strength. We built a credible society and won the favour of the government at that time.

We were able to get a time slot from the inaugural formation of the Access Community radio where we promoted our Society's aims, objectives and encouraged other Ethnic communities to express, share and value one another's cultural heritage.

Our networking included Auckland Ethnic Council, Auckland Refugee Council where we initiated integration with the NZ society as a way forward and gained recognition as a society fostering diversity and racial harmony.

We joined hands with our Wellington organisation and made representations to the Minister of Finance expressing the plight of the Tamils back home. This culminated in the form of an amendment to the Immigration act where there was a provision made to bring in relatives who have suffered in the aftermath of near genocide of Tamils.

We were able to celebrate our Tamil culture and heritage through music, dance and group debates and discussions and preserve our dignity and decorum.

We had an excellent executive committee to fulfil the above functions.

- Dr. N. Rasalingam

(Inaugural President NZTS - 1983)