Dr. T. Padmanabhan, Eminent Writer,
Dr. M.A. Yusuf Ali, Noted Industrialist,
Dr. K.T. Jaleel, Pro chancellor,
Dr. Sabu Thomas, Vice Chancellor in charge,
Shri M. R. Unni, Registrar,
Members of the Senate and Syndicate,
Deans of Faculties, Academicians,
My beloved students,
Ladies and Gentlemen, Friends in Media,
Ellavarkum Ente Namaskaram
It is a pleasure and joy to address this Special Convocation of the Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam, which has been called to confer the Honorary Degree of Doctor of Letters on eminent writer Shri. T. Padmanabhan and prominent industrialist Shri M. A Yusuf Ali.
Let me at the outset, convey my profound sense of appreciation for the University's gesture of duly recognizing the achievements and matchless contributions of these extraordinary individuals.
It is said that for a university, the vision of the future should mean the image of the society it intends to fashion. However, while imparting ideas and ideals that would shape the future, every university must carefully choose the treasures of the present, to strengthen the future. Today, Mahatma Gandhi University has chosen to honour two illustrious men, whose wisdom and contribution are treasures that will enrich the future society.
The two extraordinary men being honored today have risen from humble beginnings and employed their talent to build empires – one in literature and the other in entrepreneurship. One, with letters that immortalized the mystery and beauty of human emotions, and the other, with creative ideas that build the future of people and nations.
Dr. T. Padmanabhan, a law graduate whose literary career spans over six decades, is undoubtedly, the greatest short story writer of Malayalam. He lives a life loyally wedded to the short fiction, writing only when he feels it inevitable.
This economy of output has however, not diminished the stature of his work in anyway. With just around 160 stories to his credit, T. Padmanabhan reigns over the literary empire, with stories that transport the reader to a world of emotions which even a novel struggles to portray. He breathes life into simple truths of existence, lets them grow to epic levels but craftily reins them to the canvas of the story.
The people in his job, the roses he fondles and even the cats that hover about him figure in his tales, conveying something out of the ordinary. Such is the mastery of this gifted writer whose short stories glow with the rarest lyrical beauty possible in our language.
Age cannot wither, nor custom stale the infinite beauty of his creations. The magical glow of love that emanated from his first anthology, “Prakasham Parathunna Penkutty”, continued through “Gowri”, written when he was sixty and remains fresh as ever even in “Maraya”, a story that he wrote last year, en-capsuling a universe of celestial love in a nutshell.
Dr. Padmanabhan has won almost all the significant awards in literature including the “Ezhuthachan Puraskaram”, the largest in Malayalam. His stories have inspired critical appreciation as well as research output of the highest order. The conferment of the honorary degree of D.Litt on this unmatched storyteller of our times elevates the stature of Mahatma Gandhi University which has fulfilled in all humility, its social obligation of acknowledging merit of the highest order.
Dr. M A Yusuf Ali, who has received the Honorary Doctorate today, is an entrepreneur par excellence, passionate to serve the people through quality services at the grassroots level. In a span of 45 years, he has succeeded in building a business empire that prompted Forbes magazine to describe him in 2018 as the most influential Asian business leader in the Gulf region. With a business empire worth 4.25 billion U.S Dollars, spreading from India to regions as diverse as West Asia, Africa, South East Asia and the United Kingdom, he provides livelihood to over 34000 employees of 37 nationalities. His love and commitment to this motherland reflects in people form Kerala forming the large majority of his workforce.
What makes Dr. Yusuf Ali truly special is his role as a driving force in the process of industrialization of Kerala and as a magnet that attracts foreign investment to our country. He has won the nation’s faith as a promoter of Make in India and as the Trustee of Overseas Indian Facilitation Centre which promotes overseas investments in India. But equally important is his faith in the welfare of fellow-beings, which has grown beyond the boundaries of nations and religious faiths.
The Padma Shri and the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman bestowed on him amply testify the greatness of Dr. Yusuf Ali’s contributions to the world. Today, through the conferment of the Honorary Degree of D.Litt, the Mahatma Gandhi University has rightly honored a nation builder who reminds us of Mahatma Gandhi’s ideal about business that the man who goes into business to do WELL, stays in it to do GOOD.
I wish Dr. Yusuf Ali many more opportunities to do well and to do good to society. I also wish Dr. T. Padmanabhan the inspiration to enrich Malayalam with the light of his stories.
I once again congratulate the Mahatma Gandhi University on its collective wisdom to honour these eminent citizens. This gesture evinces the university’s true respect for excellence.
I also compliment the organizers for the elegant conduct of this Special Convocation.
My heartiest New year wishes in advance, to everyone present here.
Nanni
Jai Hind
