President Droupadi Murmu on Friday said education has been the most transformative force in her life as she received an Honorary Doctorate (Doctor Honoris Causa) from the Bucharest University of Economic Studies in Romania.
The university conferred its highest academic honour on the President in recognition of her contributions to academia, public service and international cooperation during the final leg of her six-day State Visit to Moldova, North Macedonia and Romania.
Addressing the gathering, President Murmu said her personal journey reflected the transformative power of education.
“Education has been the single-most transformative force in my life,” she said.
Recalling her early years, the President said she was born in a small village into a family with limited means and became the first girl from her village to attend college.
“That experience taught me more powerfully than any textbook that education is the great equaliser. It does not ask where you were born; only how far you are willing to travel,” she said.
Expressing gratitude to the university, President Murmu said she accepted the honour with humility on behalf of the 1.4 billion people of India, describing it as a reflection of the enduring friendship between India and Romania.
The President also recalled her experience as a teacher and said even modest classrooms have the power to transform the lives of individuals, families and communities.
Highlighting the role of educational institutions in the modern era, she said that as the world witnesses rapid advances in artificial intelligence and scientific innovation, universities must ensure that wisdom, ethics and compassion continue to guide the pursuit of knowledge.
President Murmu also referred to the long-standing cultural ties between India and Romania, recalling Rabindranath Tagore’s visit to Bucharest in 1926 and Romanian national poet Mihai Eminescu’s engagement with the Upanishads and the Bhagavad Gita.
-IANS
