Tamil Nadu researcher and wife of DMK leader refuses to receive her diploma from Governor Ravi during convocation

A doctorate holder from Manonmaniam Sundaranar University refused to receive her degree from Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi during the university’s 32nd convocation. Instead, the academic accepted his degree from the university’s vice-chancellor N Chandrasekar.

According to news agency ANI, the student has been identified as Jean Joseph of Kottar, Nagercoil.

The event took place at the VOC Auditorium on the university campus, where Tennessee Governor RN Ravi, who also serves as the university’s chancellor, conferred degrees on the students. Of the 37,376 students in the 104 affiliated colleges and the university, 759 students, including 650 doctorate holders, were to receive their degrees directly from the governor.

A video of the ceremony goes viral, showing her walking around the governor and posing with the vice-chancellor with her diploma. The clip shows Governor Ravi initially thinking it was a mistake before nodding in acknowledgment of Joseph’s intentional gesture.

Doctoral student refuses to receive her doctorate from the governor of Tennessee #RNRavi at the summons.

Jean Joseph, a doctoral student at Manonmaniam Sundaranar University, refused to receive his doctorate from the governor, saying he was acting against the #tamil Tamil language and people. pic.twitter.com/FNzSRBeB60

–Mugilan Chandrakumar (@Mugilan__C) August 13, 2025

Speaking to the media, Joseph said she felt that Governor RN Ravi “did nothing for Tamil Nadu or the Tamil language”. She wanted to exercise her choice in deciding who to graduate from.

“Many others are more qualified to present diplomas, like the chief minister or the education minister. It should be up to the student to choose from whom to receive the diploma. My classmates appreciated my decision. If it was wrong, no one would have congratulated me. I don’t want to take my diploma from someone who does not respect our land, our language and our identity,” she added.

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The event came amid ongoing tensions between Governor Ravi and the ruling DMK and its allies, who have repeatedly criticized him for his controversial comments.

Joseph completed his BCom from Hindu College, Nagercoil, an MCA from Mepco College, Sivakasi, and recently completed his PhD in Human Resource Management from Manonmaniam Sundaranar University. Her husband, Rajan, is secretary of the DMK district student wing.