"This degree will forever be etched in my history": Tanzanian President Hassan on JNU honour

New Delhi: Visiting Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan who was on Tuesday conferred with an Honorary Doctorate by the Jawaharlal Nehru University said that the honour will be forever etched in her memory as it is the first award to her in a foreign country.
Speaking at JNU's Special Convocation ceremony conferring the Honorary Doctorate to her, President Hassan expressed her gratitude for the honour, which she termed added "colour" to her life history.
"Namaste everybody," the Tanzanian President said at the beginning of her speech.
"The world says, there is no midway in falling in love with India, be it an Indian song, an Indian movie, or Indian cuisine, it is very difficult to resist an Indian charm. I experienced it when I came to India for the first time in 1998 to study in Hyderabad. I stand here as a family member of Jawaharlal Nehru University and no more as a visiting guest. This is what makes India irresistible. This is what makes India, the Incredible India...," President Hassan said.
The Tanzanian President was conferred with the honorary doctorate in the presence of Union Ministers S Jaishankar and Dharmendra Pradhan, JNU Chancellor Ambassador Kanwal Sibal
and the Vice Chancellor of the university Prof Santishree D Pandit.
"This degree will forever be etched in my history as the first to be awarded to me by a foreign country. Definitely, I've got one. I've got one from the University of Darisalla, but this is the first one to be conferred by a foreign University," the Tanzanian President said in her address.
Incidentally, Hassan became the first woman to receive the honorary award from the university.
Talking about the "Indian charm," Tanzanian President said India was described as "Incredible India" not just for "its beauty of landscape but also the generosity and kindness of its people."
Hailing the Indian presidency in the G20 summit and the inclusion of the African Union as a permanent member of the G20 grouping, she said that India has become a significant partner of Tanzania.
"We congratulate and command India for the successful completion of the G-20 summit and being able to advocate for Africa to be a firm member. Thank you. India played an important role in the decolonization of Africa. India provided material support for the armed deliberation struggle of Southern Africa. India is now our important partner."
Hoping to further strengthen ties with India, the Tanzanian President said, "We expect of India that India whenever it goes, whatever point of achievement reaches it will still have Africa and the Global South in our heart. We are living in a different era of confronting new realities and new challenges that India cannot overcome them alone."
Tanzanian President who is in India at the invitation of President Droupadi Murmu was received by the Union Minister of State for Education Annapurna Devi at the Delhi airport on Sunday.
On Monday, President Hassan was accorded a ceremonial welcome at the forecourt of Rashtrapati Bhawan and participated in the wreath-laying ceremony at Rajghat.