A woman honored in Canada for having obtained her 2nd master’s degree at 87

An elderly woman in Canada recently obtained her second master’s degree at the age of 87. The woman, identified as Varatha Shanmuganathan, has become the oldest person to earn a master’s degree from York University. A video of her being honored in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario has surfaced on social media and is widely shared due to her inspiration.

Taking to Instagram, Provincial Member of Parliament Vijay Thanigasalam posted the video of his tribute to the scholar. “I had the privilege of honoring Mrs. Varatha Shanmuganathan in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, as the oldest person to earn a master’s degree from York University and one of the oldest women to have completed a graduate degree in all of Canada,” Mr. Thanigasalam wrote in the post’s caption.

Watch the video below:

Since posting, the video has garnered over a million views and over 148,000 likes. Internet users were simply impressed by the 87-year-old man. “For those who doubt themselves and think it’s late in life to start anything, this story is so inspiring! 87 years old and still awesome!” wrote one user. “Absolute inspiration…You are the best example of lifelong learning,” said another.

In the clip, the 87-year-old is seen receiving a standing ovation from members of the Ontario Legislative Assembly and interacting and getting clicked photos with several Canadian ministers, including the Minister of Education. The video also mentions that Ms. Shanmuganathan started her academic journey at Madras University in India, completed her undergraduate degree and progressed since then.

“Varatha amma’s love for teaching and learning has allowed him to live and teach on four different continents throughout his life,” Mr Thanigasalam wrote in the caption.

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Mr Thanigasalam also went on to say that Ms Shanmuganathan completed her first masters degree in her mid-50s at the University of London. She then moved to Canada in 2004. In 2019, Ms Shanmuganathan then learned that York University was offering a tuition waiver incentive for seniors, after which her daughters encouraged her to apply for the program. of mastery.

Mr. Thanigasalam also said that the most inspiring thing about Ms. Shanmuganathan’s journey is that she completed her second master’s degree during the COVID-19 pandemic. “While she continues to be a fruitful presence in the lives of many, at the age of 87 she has never given up the power of education. She is an inspiration to the younger generation. beginning their journey or for our elders looking for the next adventure. It teaches us all that learning is a lifelong commitment,” he wrote.