Vice President C P Radhakrishnan on Sunday advised students to keep learning continuously and prepare for rapid changes driven by artificial intelligence, saying AI is increasingly reshaping the information technology sector.
He was speaking at the 22nd convocation of SRM University held at its campus in Kattankulathur, Chengalpattu district. University Chancellor Parivendhar presided over the event.
During the ceremony, the Vice President conferred an honorary doctorate on Velusamy, President – Automotive Business, Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd, and awarded degrees to graduating students. He said convocation is not merely about receiving certificates, but a moment that celebrates years of perseverance and hard work, and marks the start of a life journey rooted in discipline, responsibility and social service.
Highlighting India’s research capabilities, he recalled that India developed a COVID-19 vaccine that gained global acceptance and said free vaccines were provided not only to Indians but also to more than 100 countries. He also cited a recent meeting with Kenya’s Speaker, who thanked India for supplying vaccines when other countries declined.
The Vice President urged students to stay away from narcotics and exercise self-control, expressing concern over drug circulation in educational campuses. He also called on students to keep “nation first” as a guiding principle, and stressed that what is considered a major scientific breakthrough today can become outdated quickly—making it essential to learn something new every day.
Earlier, he inaugurated a 32-foot statue of Parivendhar at the Chancellor’s Museum on the campus. Tamil Nadu Governor Rajendra Arlekar and SRM Institute of Science and Technology officials, including Pro-Chancellors Sathyanarayanan and Ravipatchamuthu and Vice-Chancellor Muthamizhselvan, attended the function.
