Nitra:President Droupadi Murmu was on Thursday conferred an Honorary Doctorate by Constantine The Philosopher University here for her “distinguished career in public service”.
The president arrived at the campus to receive the honour on the final day of a four-day state visit to Slovakia and Portugal.
President Murmu is being recognised for her distinguished career in public service and governance, advocacy for social justice and inclusion, the university said in a statement.
She was also recognised for her contribution towards education, empowerment of women, and preservation and promotion of cultural and linguistic diversity, it added.
In her speech, the president said she is accepting the honour on behalf of the 1.4 billion people of India.
Murmu said receiving the degree from an institution named after the philosopher Saint Constantine Cyril was especially meaningful because of his contributions to language, education, and philosophy.
As someone who has worked for the preservation of India’s linguistic and cultural diversity, including the cultural recognition of the Santhali language, Murmu said she appreciates the power of language in shaping identity and fostering knowledge.
She said education is a means not only for individual empowerment but for national development as well.
Recognising this, India has placed education at the heart of its national development strategy. With half of its population below the age of 25, the nation is investing in its tools to drive the knowledge economy of tomorrow, she said.
“The new National Education Policy is a visionary initiative designed to harness this demographic dividend, fostering a culture of innovation, research, and global collaboration,” she said.
The university awards the degreeto “exceptional individuals” who have significantly contributed to the development of education, science, culture, or otherwise contributed to spreading the ideas of humanism, democracy and understanding between the nations and have an internationally recognised dimension.
This honorary title is awarded by the university’s Scientific Council. Besides eminent academics in various fields, previous recipients include former President of Brazil, Fernando Henrique Cardoso (2002).
The university bears the name of the Byzantine missionary and philosopher Saint Constantine Cyril, one of the most important names in Slovak history.
The university has five faculties and 7,029 students, including 5,562 enrolled in full-time programmes. It also has around 400 international students.
Known as the Mother of Slovak cities, Nitra dates back to 870 AD, making it one of the oldest recorded settlements in Slovakia.
