Meet 87-Year-Old Varatha, Who Was Honoured At Ontario Legislature For Receiving Her Second Master's Degree

Varathalakshmi Shanmuganathan, an octogenarian, became the oldest person in Canada to get two Master's Degrees under her name. The Sri Lankan woman was recently invited to the Ontario Legislature and received a standing ovation from the members for her inspiring academic journey. Even at the age of 87, she continues her educational pursuit and has set an example for many. A video about her was posted online by a member of the Provincial Parliament of Ontario, and it has been winning the hearts of netizens.

A Lifelong Of Learning

While many say that "Education is a lifelong journey", Varatha Amma shows it with her life. She earned her bachelor's degree from the prestigious University of Madras, and since then, her academic journey has been moving onwards and upwards. After her undergrad, she graduated with a diploma in education from the University of Ceylon. While she was in her mid-50s, she attended the University of London's Birkbeck College and held her first master's degree.

At an age where many people envision retiring and resting for the rest of their lives, this octogenarian was eagerly stepping into newer spaces through her academic journey. Migrating to Canada in the 2000s, she came to learn about the tuition waiver incentive for seniors. Soon enough, in 2019, Varatha Amma joined York University for her second master's program. Despite challenges posed by the pandemic and other factors, she completed the program and became the oldest person in Canada to secure a master's degree.

For her lifelong commitment to education, Varatha Amma was recently invited by the Members of the Ontario Legislature, where she was then honoured. They lauded her for her relentless pursuit of education even as she kept moving across countries and continents. A video of the same surfaced online and has been inspiring hundreds to "never stop learning."

Viral Video Winning Hearts

Vijay Thanigasalam, a member of the Provincial Parliament of Ontario, introduced Varatha Amma to the rest of the members with a speech that took them through her many achievements. A video of the same was posted through his official social media account with the caption, "It was my privilege to honour Mrs Varatha Shanmuganathan at the Ontario Legislature, as the oldest person to graduate with a master's degree from York University and one of the oldest women to earn a graduate degree in all of Canada." He further wrote that she will be an inspiration to the many generations to come who are beginning their journey, and also the senior citizens looking for their next adventure.

The post received over 1.5 lakh views on Instagram and garnered over a thousand comments. Netizens were impressed by the 87-year-old's zeal to learn and commented, "To the ones who are self-doubting and think that it's late in life to start anything, this story comes with so much inspiration!" Quite like Thanigasalam stated, even the users are eager to see where Varatha Amma's next venture takes her.

Also Read: Age No Bar: This 65-Yr-Old Tamil Nadu Woman Is Beating All Odds To Pursue Her Studies