Gangtok: President Droupadi Murmu on Wednesday said education is a powerful tool for women's empowerment.
Addressing the 7th convocation of Sikkim University in Gangtok, Murmu noted that women students dominated the list of medal recipients, adding that there cannot be a better example of women's empowerment through education.
"I am glad to note that 70 per cent of the students receiving medals are girls," she said.
Praising the achievements of the women students, Murmu said they had attained academic excellence through talent, hard work and determination, and wished them success in their future careers.
She also shared a series of 'mantras' for success with graduating students.
"Trust in your abilities, learn from the experience and knowledge of others, collaborate instead of isolating yourselves, prioritise short-term and long-term goals, and become self-reliant and successful contributors to the vision of 'Viksit Bharat'," she said.
The president also referred to the launch of the women-exclusive 'Pink City Runner - Aama Didi Bahini Bus Sewa' earlier in the day and thanked Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang for giving her an opportunity to be a part of the initiative.
The newly launched bus service in Gangtok is operated entirely by women staff and dedicated exclusively to women commuters.
Murmu, who is on a three-day visit to Sikkim, also praised the Himalayan state for preserving its natural beauty and ecological balance.
Describing Mount Kanchenjunga as the presiding deity of Sikkim, she said the state has successfully demonstrated that development and environmental conservation can go hand in hand.
Recalling that Sikkim became India's first organic state in 2016, the president said the achievement reflected the state's commitment to sustainable development.
She also lauded Sikkim for being a plastic-free and litter-free state.
Murmu urged Sikkim University to continue promoting the culture and traditions of Sikkim and the Northeast, and emphasised the importance of preserving endangered languages spoken in the region and north Bengal through its Centre for Endangered Languages.
She also expressed satisfaction that subjects such as glaciology and climate change are being taught at the university, saying such courses would help create greater awareness about ecology and environmental challenges among students.
A total of 13,782 degrees were awarded during the convocation ceremony for the academic years 2023, 2024 and 2025. The degrees were conferred on students from undergraduate, postgraduate, MPhil and PhD programmes across 33 departments under six schools of studies and 18 affiliated colleges.
In recognition of their academic excellence, 285 students received gold and silver medals, of whom 199 were women.
Earlier in the day, the president's scheduled visit to Nathu La at the India-China border had to be cancelled due to adverse weather conditions, officials said.
Murmu was scheduled to interact with Army personnel stationed at the strategic mountain pass.
This report was published from a syndicated wire feed. Apart from the headline, the EdexLive Desk has not edited the copy.
