The President of India, Smt Droupadi Murmu graced the valedictory function of the Platinum Jubilee celebrations of St. Thomas College at Palai, Kerala today (October 23, 2025). Addressing the gathering, the President said that education is the key to exploring opportunities of development and growth.
She noted that St. Thomas College was established with the objective of providing education to students mainly from rural areas. She was happy to note that the college has been fulfilling this laudable objective for 75 years.
The President said that educational institutions like St. Thomas College are workshops where destinies are shaped. She expressed happiness over its emphasis on holistic learning and social justice, the college promotes values of sustainability and inclusivity.
She also noted that the college has been promoting intellectual pursuits with a moral compass. The President said that the 21st century is described as ‘knowledge century’. Knowledge that drives innovation takes society forward and makes it self-reliant.
The power of literacy, education and knowledge has enabled Kerala to be among the leading states on several human development parameters. Speaking about Kottayam, the President said that this city has witnessed glorious chapters of social and educational transformations.
The great movement for eradication of untouchability, famous as ‘Vaikom Satyagrah’, took place in Kottayam a hundred years ago. It is known as ‘Akshara-nagari’ because it has been a fountain-head of literacy and education.
The ‘Sakshara Keralam’ movement was strengthened by efforts in which people of this area played a very active role. Shri P.N. Panicker’s great initiative to promote learning through the library movement was inspired by a very simple but powerful message of ‘Vayichu Valaruga’ which means ‘Read and Grow’.
The President underlined that the light of education illuminates the path to individual and collective progress. She praised the efforts of St. Thomas College in spreading the light of education. She expressed confidence that St. Thomas College will continue to promote quality education and thereby contribute to building a more equitable society and Viksit Bharat by 2047.