Kolkata: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday was conferred honorary D Litt (Honoris Causa) by St Xavier’s University on the occasion of its fourth Convocation at its New Town campus.
Accepting the citation of DLitt (Doctor of Letters) at the function, Banerjee said she is dedicating it to the people of the state and of India.
“I will dedicate this degree to the common man. I am myself a commoner and whatever I am today, is because of the commoners. So, this honour is for the people of this country and this state and specifically for the weaker sections,” said Banerjee.
On behalf of the West Bengal government, she gave a proposal to the university to set up a dedicated chair for Mother Teresa. “The message can go out to the world that Bengal has given full respect to the Mother. We have already set up Mother’s Wax Museum in New Town,” she added.
Terming the receipt of the DLitt as an inspiration to her work, Banerjee said: “I am not just grateful, but I am privileged and touched. This is an inspiration for my work and it comes from universities like Calcutta University and St Xavier’s University. I don’t feel that any university in the world is better than universities like Calcutta, Xavier’s, Jadavpur or Presidency.”
In January 2018, the state-run Calcutta University conferred an honorary DLitt on Banerjee in recognition of her social services.
Addressing the students, Banerjee said education will be fruitful only when somebody becomes a successful human being. “I will urge you to work more and more for the unity of this country and world peace. Fight against injustice, fight against poverty, fight against hunger and work to protect the secular and democratic fulcrum of the Indian Constitution,” she added.
“To protect our Constitution, which lays the foundation of India as a secular democratic country, I will fight till my last breath.”
She advised them not to be disheartened or depressed as ups and downs are an integral part of life. “Always think positive, speak positive and discard negativity,” she added.
Banerjee inaugurated the Loyola Tirtha – the administrative block of the university. It houses all the administrative offices of the varsity, including those of the Vice-Chancellor, Registrar and Finance Officer.
Vice-Chancellor Father Felix Raj, before conferring the citation to Banerjee, said that it was being awarded as a recognition of her contributions towards social services and the education sector.
Governor CV Ananda Bose, who happens to be a visitor to all the private universities, including St Xavier’s did the honours. Banerjee was also made an honorary alumna of the university on the occasion.
The Governor said: “Mamata Banerjee deserved this DLitt. This honour is not for her political acumen as the people of West Bengal have already awarded her for the same. This is for her excellence in literary works like stories, poems, her painting prowess. She has earned this feather in her cap through her own ability and the St Xavier’s University has conferred the honour upon her. We are all very happy.”
Bose added that Bengal is privileged to get a leader like her. Drawing Banerjee’s parallel with Winston Churchill, Dr Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, APJ Abdul Kalam who were known for their literary excellence, Bose said: “There are a number of political personalities who have excelled in literature and Mamata Banerjee is undoubtedly one of them. Politics should not get mingled with education, but if education makes its entry into politics, it is not bad.”
Terming Banerjee as his constitutional friend, he maintained that students of Bengal should uphold the heritage of the state that was conceived by the likes of Rabindranath Tagore.
770 students who had successfully completed their final examination from the university were awarded degrees at the Convocation ceremony.