Cyclone Murasu forms in Bay of Bengal with Tamil name
Cyclone Murasu has formed over the Bay of Bengal, and it's making headlines for its name alone: this cyclone has been given a Tamil name.
The name was suggested by meteorologist P Puviarasan back in 2020 as part of India's effort to add more local flavor to the official naming system, which is shared by 13 countries and run by the IMD.
The goal? Names that are easy to pronounce, contain no more than eight letters, and are not associated with politics, religion, gender or cultural sensitivities.
Murasu named after ancient Tamil drum
Murasu isn't just a cool-sounding word: it's actually an ancient Tamil drum once used by kings to send out urgent messages, kind of like how cyclone warnings work today.
Puviarasan, now leading Karnataka's Meteorological Centre, wanted names that reflect local heritage.
India also pitched names like Neer and Navai, keeping things easy to pronounce and not associated with politics, religion, gender or cultural sensitivities.