Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar has stressed the need for greater emphasis on character formation in education, observing that scientific and technological achievements and economic growth would become meaningless without character purity.
Speaking after inaugurating the silver jubilee celebrations of Mar Baselios College of Engineering and Technology at Thiruvananthapuram on September 11, Arlekar said the absence of character purity was one of the major challenges faced by society today.
“Education should emphasise character formation,” the Governor said, urging colleges to focus more on shaping the character of students.
He said slogans raised during youth agitations sometimes crossed the boundaries of civility and cited the recent protests at Jantar Mantar as an example. Such incidents affected the image of both the protests and the protesters, he said.
The Governor said the new National Education Policy aimed at the holistic development of students. Differences of opinion regarding the policy could be raised, he said, but they should be resolved through discussions.
“Consensus is possible through dialogue, not through conflict,” Arlekar said.
സ്വഭാവ രൂപവൽക്കരണത്തിന് വിദ്യാഭ്യാസത്തിൽ ഊന്നൽ നൽകണമെന്ന് ഗവർണർ രാജേന്ദ്ര വിശ്വനാഥ് ആർലേക്കർ.
ഇന്നിവിടെ മാർ ബാസേലിയസ് കോളേജ് ഓഫ് എൻജിനിയറിങ്ങ് ആൻഡ് ടെക്നോളജിയുടെ രജത ജൂബിലി ആഘോഷങ്ങൾ ഉദ്ഘാടനം ചെയ്ത് സംസാരിക്കവേ സ്വഭാവ ശുദ്ധിയുടെ അഭാവം ഇന്ന് സമൂഹം നേരിടുന്ന വെല്ലുവിളിയാണെന്ന്… pic.twitter.com/2n5gEhrrgv— Kerala Governor (@KeralaGovernor) September 11, 2026
Malankara Catholicos Church Archbishop Cardinal Baselios Cleemis chaired the silver jubilee function. Health Minister K. Muraleedharan delivered the keynote address.
The emphasis on character and values in public life can also be seen in an incident on August 19, when Governor Arlekar extended a helping hand to Gireesh, who had collapsed on the road.
The Governor was on his way to attend an Onam programme in Thiruvananthapuram when he noticed Gireesh faint and fall on the road. Arlekar immediately asked his driver to stop the vehicle, stepped out and went to Gireesh’s assistance, helping him sit up.
The Governor then asked his aides to inform Gireesh’s family and, before proceeding to the programme, made arrangements to take him to a hospital.
The incident drew media attention as a inspiring gesture by a Governor, with Arlekar personally stopping his journey to help a person in distress.
The recently inaugurated Thunchan Smriti Library at Lok Bhavan, meanwhile, reflects another aspect of the Governor’s office and his emphasis on reading and learning. The library houses more than 10,000 books in English, Malayalam and other Bharatiya languages.
Named after Thunchathu Ezhuthachan, regarded as the father of the Malayalam language, the library has been welcomed by book-lovers as a noble initiative to promote reading.
