Highlighting that graduating students have to deal with many key challenges facing the society, Justice S. Vimala, Judge, Madras High Court, said the toughest to tackle would be ecological degradation.
Addressing the 51st annual convocation of Madurai Kamaraj University here on Monday, she said both water and air, which were fundamental for sustenance of life, had become extremely polluted and food was becoming a poison with spraying of pesticides. Quoting the actor and environmentalist Robert Redford, she said environment must be put under the category of national security.
The other key challenges included mismatch between demand and supply in food production, continuance of gender disparity in many fields, unemployment, and digital divide, she said.
Pointing out the need for youngsters to be innovative, she said the innovations need not be groundbreaking, but incremental improvements to existing technologies. Appealing to the youngsters to have courage to follow their heart and intuition, she said “elders might be rich in experience, but you are rich in imagination and creativity and only you can grow the knowledge economy.”
Stating that youngsters of Tamil Nadu were already in key positions, playing critical roles around the world, she said, ‘Alapporan Tamilan’ meant Tamilians already ruled the world and would rule the world in future.
K.P. Anbalagan, Minister for Higher Education, in his speech, said the State was at the forefront in the country when it came to higher education with highest gross enrolment ratio (GER) and a large number of educational institutions.
Vice-Chancellor P.P. Chellathurai presented a report highlighting the achievements made by the university in the recent months, particularly in receiving funds for research and collaboration with other universities.
Listing the slew of measures being taken for the holistic development of the university, with particular focus on improving research, he said the university was focussing on community outreach and implementation of Centre’s Swachh Bharat, Green India and Skill India missions. “We are determined to make it to the top 10 universities in the country and top 200 in the world,” he said.
A total 58,819 degrees, diplomas and certificates were awarded both in person and in absentia at the convocation, of which women outnumbered men. A total of 306 Ph. D scholars and 78 meritorious students from UG and PG courses received their degrees and medals from the Governor.
Academic parks
Earlier, the Governor inaugurated 82 classrooms which have been upgraded as smart classrooms in the university, and two academic parks.
He also inaugurated a saplings planting drive.
