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Why this PhD scholar refused to collect her degree from the Tamil Nadu Governor

Jean Joseph, the wife of a DMK leader, said her decision ‘came from my own conviction’.

In a video, which has now gone viral, Joseph is seen walking past the Governor even as he smilingly gestures to her to stand next to him to receive the degree. (Express Photo)

A woman PhD scholar, Jean Joseph, Wednesday refused to receive her degree from the Tamil Nadu Governor at the 32nd convocation of Manonmaniam Sundaranar University in Tirunelveli, stating that R N Ravi is “against Tamil Nadu and Tamils”.

In a video, which has now gone viral, Joseph is seen walking past the Governor even as he smilingly gestures to her to stand next to him to receive the degree. Joseph walks past him and gets her degree from the Vice Chancellor of the varsity, M Chandrasekar.

Speaking to The Indian Express, the 38-year-old said: “I did not want to get my degree from a person who does not respect either Tamil Nadu or Tamil culture. The Governor does not respect Tamil people, and hence I decided not to get my degree from him.”

Joseph is also the spouse of Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) leader M Rajan. “But my decision not to accept the degree from the Governor came from my own conviction. My husband’s politics had nothing to do with it,” she said.

Joseph said that she had been contemplating this for the past two days. “I received the convocation invitation two days ago, and since then, I have been thinking about it. I also wondered whether my action could cause trouble for other candidates at the convocation,” she said. “I decided to go for it at the last moment because I just couldn’t get myself to accept the degree from him.”

Watch: A woman PhD scholar, Jean Joseph, Wednesday refused to receive her degree from the Tamil Nadu Governor at the 32nd convocation of Manonmaniam Sundaranar University in Tirunelveli, stating that R N Ravi is “against Tamil Nadu and Tamils”. pic.twitter.com/D5pMjt2te0

— The Indian Express (@IndianExpress) August 13, 2025

“I know several young people who want to be doctors and want an exemption from the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET). The governor sat on that Bill for long, and even now Tamil students are not exempted from NEET,” she said.

Also Read | With verdict on Governor R N Ravi, Supreme Court gives Indian states — and India — a victory

Ravi had refused to give his assent to several Bills passed by the state’s Legislative Assembly. The Supreme Court had, in April, declared as illegal and erroneous his actions in reserving 10 Bills for consideration of the President in November 2024, after they had already been reconsidered by the state Assembly. The Bench of Justices J B Pardiwala and R Mahadevan ruled that any subsequent steps taken by the President, too, do not survive.

“I think my decision would set an example for others to stand up to powerful people when they are wrong,” said Joseph, whose PhD is in Human Resources. She also has an MBA and a B.Com degree.

Nikhila Henry

Nikhila Henry is an Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, based in Hyderabad. With a career spanning 17 years, she has established herself as an authoritative voice on South Indian affairs, specialising in the complex intersections of politics, education, and social justice. Experience & Career: Nikhila commenced her journalism career in 2007 as an education correspondent for The Times of India in Hyderabad,where she gained recognition for her coverage of student politics. Her professional trajectory includes a four-year tenure at The Hindu, where she focused on minority affairs and social welfare. In 2019, she took on a leadership role as the South Bureau Chief for The Quint, where she directed regional coverage across all five South Indian states. Her expansive career also includes a tenure at the BBC in New Delhi and contributions to prestigious international outlets such as The Sunday Times (London) and HuffPost India. Expertise & Focus Areas Nikhila’s reportage is marked by a deep-seated understanding of grassroots movements and institutional policy. Her core focus areas include: Regional Politics: Comprehensive analysis of the socio-political dynamics across South India. Education & Student Movements: Chronicling the evolution of Indian academics and the rise of youth activism. Minority Affairs: Rigorous reporting on the welfare, rights, and challenges facing marginalized communities. National Beat: Elevating regional stories to national prominence through investigative and on-ground reporting. Authoritativeness & Trust A respected figure in Indian media, Nikhila is not only a seasoned reporter but also an accomplished author and editor. She authored the critically acclaimed book The Ferment: Youth Unrest in India and edited Caste is Not a Rumour, a collection of writings by Rohith Vemula. Her dual background in daily news reporting and long-form authorship allows her to provide readers with a nuanced, historically-informed perspective on contemporary Indian society. Find all stories by Nikhila Henry here. ... Read More

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