President Droupadi Murmu attended the convocation ceremony of Fakir Mohan University in Balasore, Odisha, on February 3, 2026. She also inaugurated a new auditorium on the campus while delivering her speech as the president expressed her heartfelt tribute to the legendary Vyasakabi Fakir Mohan Senapati, whose 19th-century story Revati had a significant impact on her life.
She narrated the story of how the protagonist’s determination had inspired her to move from a remote tribal area to Bhubaneswar for her education and said that literature can be so powerful as a source of inspiration for our ambitions. The President said that she would like to emphasise the linguistic heritage of the region, and Fakir Mohan Ji’s dedication to his mother tongue is worth emulating. She mentioned in the context of the National Education Policy-2020, the focus on the mother tongue will enable the students to understand the cultural environment and civilisational values more clearly, while she urged the youth to explore the vast ancient knowledge available on the subject, from astronomy to medicine, so as to bridge the gap between the ancient and the modern.
The president made a subtle differentiation between a successful life and a meaningful life as she conceded that money and prestige are essential for a successful life but urged the graduates to use their knowledge as a means of social service. Real progress is attained not until the graduates reach out to help those who have not succeeded so that personal success contributes to the progress of all in society. Moreover, the President lauded Fakir Mohan University for its dynamic engagement with the local community and its specific research initiatives, particularly praising the university’s work on the local economy, including paddy, betel leaves and fish, and she also lauded its forward-thinking research on blue crabs and horseshoe crabs. Each One Teach One and Earn While You Learn were highlighted as good examples of how academia could bring about social change.
President Murmu appealed to universities to become catalysts for inclusive growth by promoting ethical leadership and tackling both local and global issues through research, as she was confident that Fakir Mohan University would help create a sustainable and equitable future for India.
