A PhD graduate refused to accept her degree from Tamil Nadu Governor and University Chancellor RN Ravi, choosing instead to receive it from the Vice-Chancellor during the 32nd convocation of Manonmaniam Sundaranar University (MSU) in Tirunelveli on Wednesday, August 14.
The ceremony, attended by more than 650 graduates, proceeded as scheduled, with recipients stepping up to the Governor to collect their degrees.
However, when it was the turn of research scholar Jean Joseph from Nagercoil, she bypassed the Governor without acknowledgement and went directly to Vice-Chancellor N Chandrasekar to receive her degree.
Jean Joseph is the wife of M Rajan, Deputy Secretary of the DMK’s Nagercoil town unit. Speaking to reporters after the event, she said, “Governor RN Ravi has been acting against the interests of Tamil Nadu and Tamils. I did not want to receive my degree from him.”
Her remarks quickly gained traction online, intensifying the ongoing political tensions between the Tamil Nadu government and the Governor.
Social media reactions were sharply divided, with supporters hailing her move as a courageous act of dissent, while critics argued that a convocation ceremony was not the right setting for political protest.
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University officials have yet to issue a statement on the incident, and the Governor’s office has also declined to comment.
Governor Ravi has faced public protests in Tamil Nadu on multiple occasions in recent months, with his appearances at various events met with boycotts and symbolic demonstrations by student groups and political organisations aligned with the state government.
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