‘Go beyond textbook to stay relevant’

Rajeeva Laxman Karandikar, Director of Chennai Mathematical Institute, Chennai, handing over degree certificate to a student at the convocation of Thiagarajar College in Madurai on Saturday. President of the college Karumuttu T. Kannan, third from left, and Secretary Karumuttu K. Thiagarajan, look on.

Students clad in yellow and black colour dresses were in a festive mood at the 34th Graduation Day of Thiagarajar College here on Saturday. A total of 1,100 students at graduate and postgraduate-level received their certificates.

As many as 81 students received gold medals.

Delivering the chief guest address, Rajeeva Laxman Karandikar, Director of Chennai Mathematical Institute, Chennai, said that students must adapt to changing environments to stay relevant.

Nothing should stop students from focusing on their work. “Jobs depend on how much you go beyond the textbook in order to gain knowledge,” he said.

The President of the college Karumuttu T. Kannan said that it was necessary to be trustworthy and uninhibited in new working environments.

“Tamil is a beautiful language but it also necessary to communicate in English,” he said. He urged students to look for opportunities in all cities in order to expand their horizon. Unless students read at least 25 pages a day, they would not be able to sustain conversation and be of value to their organisation, he said.

College secretary K. Thiagarajan asked students never to give up on their dreams. During campus placements, over 500 students were placed in 74 companies, including Honeywell, Deloitte and TCS Ignite.