KOCHI: President Droupadi Murmu on Friday lauded St Teresa’s College, Ernakulam, for its century-long contribution to women’s education and empowerment in Kerala, saying that the institution’s steadfast commitment to academic excellence rooted in spiritual values had made it a beacon of social transformation.
Addressing the centenary celebrations of the college, the President said that empowering women through education was essential for India to achieve inclusive growth and realise its demographic potential. "St Teresa’s College has been promoting women’s education in India with steadfast commitment to spiritual values. This is a great contribution to social transformation and nation-building," she said, calling on the students to carry forward the legacy of their predecessors with confidence and purpose.
Murmu said the role of women in Kerala’s social and political landscape had always been significant, noting that the state had given many pioneering women leaders to the nation. Among them were three of the fifteen women members of India's Constituent Assembly — Ammu Swaminathan, Annie Mascarene and Dakshayani Velayudhan — who, she said, "influenced deliberations on fundamental rights, social justice and gender equality" during the framing of the Constitution.
Highlighting Kerala’s rich legacy in women’s empowerment, the President also recalled that the country’s first woman High Court judge, Justice Anna Chandy, served in the Kerala High Court in 1956, and that Justice M Fathima Beevi became the first woman to be appointed to the Supreme Court of India in 1989.
"Women from Kerala have always given leadership to the nation," she observed, adding that the young women of St Teresa’s represented "young India, thriving India, and vibrant India." The President underlined that women’s active participation in the workforce was critical for India to leverage its demographic dividend and realise the vision of Viksit Bharat by 2047. "One of the key pillars for achieving the vision of a developed India is to ensure 70 per cent women workforce participation," she said.
Citing encouraging trends, Murmu pointed out that the Gender Budget allocation had increased four-and-a-half times in the last decade, and that women-led micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) had nearly doubled between 2011 and 2024. "Women from different socio-economic segments are driving India’s progress," she said, adding that alumnae of St Teresa’s College have made significant contributions to the country’s growth and development.
The President expressed appreciation for the college’s new initiative titled SLATE — Sustainability, Leadership and Agency through Education, aimed at connecting higher education with the objectives of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. "By taking up this project, the college has demonstrated its commitment to the objectives of the NEP. Connecting young people with India’s targets under the Sustainable Development Goals and enabling them for the jobs of tomorrow are praiseworthy aims," she noted.
Murmu said higher education institutions like St. Teresa’s College play a pivotal role in enabling India to emerge as a global knowledge superpower. "Education that combines knowledge with values, and leadership with compassion, will ensure that India’s growth is both equitable and sustainable," she said.
As one of Kerala’s oldest women’s colleges, St. Teresa’s has played a defining role in promoting higher education for women since its inception in 1925. Over the decades, it has nurtured leaders, educators, entrepreneurs, and changemakers who have contributed to public life in diverse fields. The centenary celebrations mark not just the college’s institutional achievements but also the larger journey of women’s empowerment in Kerala.
Concluding her address, President Murmu urged the students to draw inspiration from the pioneering women of Kerala and contribute meaningfully to society. "Your education gives you not just knowledge but also the power to shape a better future for yourselves and for the nation," she said to loud applause from the gathering.
