CHENNAI: VIT Chancellor G Viswanathan was felicitated by the Tamil Iyakkam on Sunday for receiving an honorary doctorate from the State University of New York. VG Santhosam, Chairman of VGP Group of Companies, presided over the event. HR and CE Minister Sekar Babu and MP Thol Thirumavalavan delivered special addresses.
Speaking at the event, Viswanathan emphasised the importance of education in eradicating poverty. “The higher education gross enrollment ratio is only 27% in the country. Only in a few states like Tamil Nadu has it crossed 50%. The state and central governments’ funding for education is very low. Despite persistent requests to increase this allocation to 6% of the GDP, it has not exceeded 3%,” he said.
He attributed the country’s 140th rank in terms of per capita income to the lack of education, which he said has also increased the social divide among people. Minister for Information and Technology Palanivel Thiaga Rajan read a congratulatory message from Chief Minister MK Stalin to Viswanathan on receiving the honorary doctorate, on the occasion.