CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami was conferred an honorary doctorate by a deemed university here on Sunday.
Palaniswami was conferred the "Degree of Doctor of Letters (Honoris Causa)," at the 28th convocation of the Dr MGR Educational and Research Institute.
This is the first honorary doctorate received by Palaniswami, who became chief minister in 2017.
Late chief ministers M G Ramachandran, J Jayalalithaa and M Karunanidhi had been conferred multiple honorary doctorates by various universities.
In his address, Palaniswami greeted the graduating students and others who received honorary doctorates and said it was a moment to take a pledge to fulfil responsibilities towards the growth of the entire mankind.
"My responsibilities too have increased with the conferment of the honorary doctorate on me," he said.
He outlined his government's initiatives in the field of education such as free laptops for students, setting up 12 new arts and science colleges, five polytechnic institutions and six law colleges in various places in the state.
The school syllabus up to class 12 has been revamped and for the current fiscal, allocation for school education department was a "whopping Rs 28,957.
68 crore," and Rs 4,584.
21 crore for higher education, he said.
University founder chancellor, A C Shanmugam, a former MP and an MLA, said this was the first time the varsity conferred a honorary doctorate on a Chief Minister.
Shanmugam is also the founder leader of Puthiya Neethi Katchi, which is an ally of the ruling AIADMK.
He had unsuccessfully contested the recent Vellore Lok Sabha election on the ruling party's Two-Leaves symbol, losing to the DMK nominee.