Research scholar holds Stalin photo while receiving degree from TN governor, sparks controversy

CUDDALORE: A research scholar named J Pushparaj received his PhD degree from Tamil Nadu Governor R N Ravi while holding chief minister M K Stalin's photo, creating a stir on stage at the 87th convocation of Annamalai University in Chidambaram, Cuddalore district, on Monday.

Governor Ravi presented degrees to 1,014 students during the convocation. Pushparaj, a research scholar in history, later explained that his gesture was to highlight Supreme Court rulings favouring elected chief ministers as chancellors of the universities over appointed governors.


"I felt awkward receiving it from a nominated governor when the chief minister enacted student welfare schemes I benefited from," Pushparaj told reporters. He avoided discourtesy but insisted on Stalin's photo to affirm the chief minister’s role, noting the governor's visible discomfort.

Pushparaj praised Tamil Nadu's higher education initiatives under the DMK regime, regretting not receiving the degree directly from Stalin. The incident underscores the ongoing conflict between the governor and the state government over university control.

Earlier, while addressing the gathering, Ravi said the world is currently in the midst of a fourth industrial revolution. “Artificial intelligence is not just a tool for computer scientists. It is transforming healthcare, precision agriculture, space science and even the humanities. However, I urge you to embrace AI as an augmentative force. Use it to analyse the vast datasets of climate change or to optimise chemical conversion processes, but never let it replace human ethics and creative intuition,” he said.

He said expertise without ethics is an incomplete reaction. “As we integrate responsible AI into our laboratories and fields, use it to augment human empathy, not replace it. Be the generation that ensures a data-driven world remains a human-centric one,” he said.