The contribution of Periyar Maniammai University in ushering in social change is remarkable as the institution helps translate the ideals of the social reformer Periyar E.V. Ramasamy Naicker into action by inculcating equality, fraternity and dignity among the students, Dato’ Seri Utama S.Samy Vellu, Special Envoy (Ministerial Rank) to India and South Asia on Infrastructure, Malaysian Prime Minister’s Department, said here on Sunday.
Delivering the convocation address at the 22nd convocation of the PMU, Dr. Samy Vellu said that under the stewardship of Chancellor K.Veeramani, the university was globalising the ideals of Periyar through extensive use of information and communication technology.
The Centre for Periyar Thought (CPT) was facilitating that goal as many works of Periyar were being translated into various languages including Telugu, Malayalam, Marathi, Oriya, Hindi, English and French.
All those tireless efforts have resulted in evolving this institutions into a “People’s University,” he remarked.
Calling upon the new graduates never to end learning, Dr. Samy Vellu exhorted them to be alert to learn new technologies and keep abreast of recent developments as many technologies have been rendered obsolete by better technologies.
There was a constant necessity to be permanently changing to suit our needs, he added.
Stating that innovation and entrepreneurship were no longer a matter of choice for any developing country, Dr. Samy Vellu observed that there was an urgent necessity for economic growth, widening the scope of employment, poverty alleviation, and raising the living standards of one and all.
Reminding the students that the scope of their employment was unlimited, he noted that the society was in need of many basic amenities such as clean environment and sanitation, water supply, road, infrastructure, food and clothing, housing, energy, frugal engineering, green products and medical devices at affordable cost. He called upon the new graduates to develop global adaptability.
Vice-Chancellor N. Ramachandran said that 604 candidates were awarded degrees for undergraduate courses and 198 for postgraduate courses for the year 2013-14 at the convocation.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the PMU and Cologne University enabled us to offer students a short-term course on German. Similarly, the Director, Centre for Periyar Thought (CPT), is proceeding to Cologne to globalize Periyar thought for six months in Germany, he said.
In order to help students to be employed globally, the university offered them the opportunity to learn foreign languages such as Russian, Chinese Mandarin, and German.
Apart from Mr. Veeramani, Pro-Chancellor V.K.N.Kannappan, Pro-Vice-Chancellor M.Thavamani, Duabi Muthamizh Sangam president Mohan, Periyar International Director Soma Elangovan, and Malayasia Tamil Sangam members participated.
