Kochi: President Droupadi Murmu concluded her four-day official visit to Kerala on Friday afternoon, departing for Delhi on a special Air Force flight from the Cochin International Airport (CIAL).

The President arrived in Kerala on Tuesday evening and completed visits to Thiruvananthapuram, Pathanamthitta, and Kottayam districts before arriving in Kochi for the final leg of her tour. Earlier on Wednesday, she visited Sabarimala temple also. 

Murmu came to Kochi from Kumarakom on Friday morning to attend the centenary celebrations of St. Teresa’s College (STC), Ernakulam. She landed at Kochi Naval Base in a helicopter. In connection with her visit, traffic restrictions and a ban on flying drones were imposed in the city from 10 am to 2 pm.

St. Teresa’s College, established in 1925 by the Carmelite Sisters of St. Teresa (CSST) congregation, is the first women's college in the Kingdom of Kochi. The college, which began with just 41 students, now educates 4,263 students across 25 departments as it marks its 100th year.

While addressing the event, Murmu highlighted the pivotal role of women's education in achieving the vision of ‘Viksit Bharat’ (Developed India) by 2047. She lauded the institution for its century-long contribution to women's education and urged the students to uphold the noble tradition established by the college's founder, Mother Teresa of St. Rose of Lima.

Emphasising the nation's demographic dividend, Murmu stressed that active women's participation is necessary for the country's progress, stating that achieving 70 per cent women workforce participation is one of the key pillars for ‘Viksit Bharat’ by 2047. She cited positive national trends, including a four-and-a-half-fold increase in Gender Budget allocation over the last decade and the near doubling of women-led MSMEs between 2011 and 2024.

The President also paid tribute to the pioneering women from Kerala who helped shape the nation, recalling that three of the fifteen exceptional women who were members of the Constituent Assembly—Ammu Swaminathan, Annie Mascarene, and Dakshayani Velayudan—were from the state, influencing deliberations on fundamental rights and gender equality. She specifically praised STC’s project, SLATE (Sustainability, Leadership and Agency through Education), which connects students with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and aligns with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.

During the function, the President was presented with five gifts reflecting India's rich cultural heritage. These included a Pattachitra (Palm-leaf Engraving), a traditional art form from Odisha where mythological and folk tales are carved onto dried palm leaves; a Patola Textile, the famous double-ikat Mulberry silk fabric from Surendranagar, Gujarat; Bagh Bakar, an ancient traditional Indian board game; Raag Malhar Attar, a fragrance oil created by combining thousands of rose petals, saffron, sandalwood, and white musk; and a specially designed saree. 

Following the college event, Murmu proceeded to the Naval Air Station (NAS) at the Southern Naval Command (SNC), where she was first accorded a send-off. Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, Devaswom Minister VN Vasavan, Union Minister Suresh Gopi, Officiating Chief of Staff of the SNC Rear Admiral Upul Kundu, District Collector G Priyanka, and City Police Commissioner Putta Vimaladitya. 

After the ceremony at the Naval Air Station, Murmu flew to CIAL in an Indian Air Force’s helicopter. At the international airport, Governor Arlekar and Minister Vasavan once again led the delegation that saw the President off. She left for Delhi at 2:15 pm. 

Other officials present at the airport included Benny Behanan MP, Anwar Sadath MLA, Public Administration Secretary K Biju, District Collector G Priyanka, District Police Chief (Ernakulam Rural) M Hemalatha, Commanding Officer of 21 (K) NCC Battalion, Kochi, Colonel N Abraham, and State Protocol Officer MS Harikrishnan.