Vice President Urges Tamil Nadu to Stay on Path of Nationalism at VOC College Platinum Jubilee

Tamil Nadu must stay on the path of nationalism to reach greater heights and become a well-developed state, Vice President C.P. Radhakrishnan said on Wednesday. Addressing the platinum jubilee celebrations of V.O. Chidambaram College in Thoothukudi, Mr. Radhakrishnan noted that the state produced many great patriots and nationalists during the freedom struggle and after independence, standing tall thanks to leaders like V.O. Chidambaram, K. Kamaraj, and Subramania Siva.

Vision for India

Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who liberated over 50 crore people from poverty in the past 12 years, the country will become an emerging superpower and 'Viksit Bharat' by 2047, Mr. Radhakrishnan stated. He opined that communism failed because it advocated only sharing existing resources without creating wealth and development, whereas Mr. Modi is working to eradicate poverty while ensuring growth. He also appealed to students to stay away from alcohol and narcotic substances and to support nationalism with self-discipline.

College Memories

Recounting his time as a BBA student at the institution from the 1975-1978 batch, Mr. Radhakrishnan fondly recalled his professors, classmates, and hostel mates, and interacted with college union chairman A.V. Murugesan. He recalled opposing the Emergency clamped by the Congress government while studying, noting that the principal's son protected him and his friends from the police after they spoke against it at a Rotaract meeting. Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, college correspondent A.P.C.V. Chockalingam, and principal Veerabahu also participated in the event.

Context

Platinum jubilee celebrations mark 75 years of an institution's founding, serving as a milestone for colleges to reflect on their history and alumni achievements. V.O. Chidambaram College is located in Thoothukudi, a major port city in the southern part of Tamil Nadu.