THANJAVUR (Tamil Nadu), Aug 17: Vice President C P Radhakrishnan on Sunday attended the Ruby and Silver Jubilee Valedictory Celebrations of SASTRA Deemed University at its campus in Thanjavur and congratulated the institution on completing key milestones in its academic journey.
Addressing the gathering, Radhakrishnan said the jubilee milestones reflected SASTRA’s growth over the years, its contribution in the present and its ambition to achieve greater excellence in the future.
He described SASTRA as one of Tamil Nadu’s leading higher education institutions and appreciated its contribution to national development through education, research and innovation.
The Vice President also praised the education policies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, describing them as progressive and transformative. He said the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 has emerged as a guiding framework for educational development from the school level to higher education.
Highlighting reforms in higher education and research, Radhakrishnan referred to initiatives including the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF), Prime Minister’s Research Fellowship (PMRF), PM-Vidyalaxmi and the Multiple Entry-Multiple Exit system. He said such measures have strengthened India's higher education ecosystem.
Referring to the recently enacted Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, he said the legislation aims to strengthen public examination systems and ensure a fair and transparent mechanism for the country’s youth.
Radhakrishnan expressed confidence that India would raise its Gross Enrolment Ratio in higher education from around 30 per cent to the targeted 50 per cent by 2035.
He said the government was taking several measures to build a self-reliant ecosystem capable of developing sovereign technological capabilities while promoting socio-economic growth through manufacturing and services.
Addressing students, the Vice President urged them to make the best use of their time, focus on innovation and continuously upgrade their skills. He also advised students to limit their social media use and stay away from narcotic drugs.
“Say no to narcotic drugs. Say Yes to Your Health and Say Yes to Your Life,” he said.
During the event, Radhakrishnan launched six new initiatives of SASTRA, including the TATA Communications Centre for Resilient and Unified Secure Technologies (TRUST) at SASTRA, SASTRA.AI, SASTRA-MAITRI, the SASTRA Teaching, Research & Innovation Development Enhancement (STRIDE) Fund, DRISHTI and SMILE.
He said the initiatives would provide a strong platform for SASTRA’s future growth, covering areas such as artificial intelligence, research, internationalisation, faculty development, digital education and industry engagement.
The Vice President also congratulated SASTRA on its agreement with Tata Communications in the areas of cybersecurity and networking. He said the partnership was important for developing resilient and trustworthy security infrastructure to support India’s technological and economic growth.
Radhakrishnan said the initiatives launched at the university were aligned with the vision of Viksit Bharat @2047, particularly in infrastructure development, research, innovation, entrepreneurship, capacity building, social engagement and industry collaboration.
He wished SASTRA success in its future endeavours and encouraged the university community to continue contributing to India’s development through excellence in education and research.
