Governor confers degrees on graduands at 31st convocation of Mother Teresa University

Tamil Nadu Governor confers degrees at Mother Teresa Women’s University convocation, emphasizing women leadership and empowerment.

Tamil Nadu Governor R. N. Ravi conferred degrees on graduands at the 31st convocation of Mother Teresa Women’s University in Kodaikanal in Dindigul district on Wednesday. A total of 6,587 candidates received their degrees, 70 recipients received Doctoral degrees and 16 graduates received gold and silver medals.

Vice-Chancellor of Jawaharlal Nehru University Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit, the chief guest, in her convocation address, told the graduates to dream big. She told them that they were living in a transformational era. India was experiencing a renaissance, both economically and culturally. India was no longer a passive player on the world stage, but a driving force shaping global standards, she said.

Challenges were the stepping stones to success. No success story was complete without challenges. “If you think the path ahead will be easy you are mistaken. You have to work hard,” she told the graduates and advised them to embrace every obstacle as a chance to learn and grow stronger and be resourceful. Embrace diversity and inclusivity, be multilingual, take risks, innovate and contribute to society, she said.

Women leadership in modern society was important. To be a knowledge power, women leadership was important. Women were, are and will be catalysts of change, she said.

Despite the progress made in recognising women’s contributions, women often encounter barriers in their pursuit for leadership positions including societal expectations, discrimination, lack of support and stereotypes. Research indicates women were judged more harshly than their men counterparts. Overcoming barriers and strategies for empowerment was very important, she said.

Education was a powerful tool for empowerment and played a crucial role in shaping future women leaders. “By investing in girls’ education we were investing in the future of society. Schools and universities should foster an inclusive environment where girls feel empowered to express their ideas, challenge norms and pursue passion. Celebrating women’s achievement was a collective responsibility,“ she said.

The road ahead will be filled with challenges and opportunities.