President Droupadi Murmu on Wednesday, May 27, said education remains one of the most powerful tools for women’s empowerment, noting that women students dominated the list of medal recipients at the 7th convocation ceremony of Sikkim University.

Addressing the convocation in Gangtok, the President said the achievements of women students reflected how education can transform lives and strengthen society.

“I am glad to note that 70 per cent of the students receiving medals are girls. There cannot be a better example of women’s empowerment through education,” she said.

Murmu praised the women students for attaining academic excellence through talent, hard work and determination, and wished them success in their future careers.

Sharing a series of “mantras” for success with graduating students, the President urged them to trust their abilities, learn from others, collaborate instead of isolating themselves, prioritise goals and become self-reliant contributors to the vision of a developed India.

The President also referred to the launch of the women-exclusive ‘Pink City Runner – Aama Didi Bahini Bus Sewa’ earlier in the day and thanked Prem Singh Tamang for giving her the opportunity to be part of the initiative.

The newly launched bus service in Gangtok is operated entirely by women staff and is dedicated exclusively to women commuters.

Murmu, who is on a three-day visit to Sikkim, also praised the Himalayan state for preserving its natural beauty and ecological balance.

Describing Mount Kanchenjunga as the presiding deity of Sikkim, she said the state has demonstrated that development and environmental conservation can progress together.

Recalling that Sikkim became India’s first organic state in 2016, the President said the achievement reflected the state’s commitment to sustainable development. She also lauded the state for maintaining its plastic-free and litter-free status.

Murmu urged Sikkim University to continue promoting the culture and traditions of Sikkim and the Northeast and stressed the importance of preserving endangered languages spoken in the region and north Bengal through its Centre for Endangered Languages.

She also expressed satisfaction that subjects such as glaciology and climate change are being taught at the university, saying such courses would help create awareness among students about ecological and environmental challenges.

A total of 13,782 degrees were awarded during the convocation ceremony for the academic years 2023, 2024 and 2025 across undergraduate, postgraduate, MPhil and PhD programmes.

Out of 285 students who received gold and silver medals for academic excellence, 199 were women.

Earlier in the day, the President’s scheduled visit to Nathu La along the India-China border was cancelled due to adverse weather conditions, officials said. She was scheduled to interact with Army personnel stationed at the strategic mountain pass.