BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA, May 16, 2015 (Facebook): Last Saturday’s UC Berkeley University commencement featured moving, personal remarks by top graduating senior Radhika Kannan. Kannan, UC Berkeley’s most distinguished graduating senior and winner of the University Medal, earned the highest distinction in Economics and Conservation studies. Having grown up both in India and Singapore, two areas plagued by drought and floods, she developed a passion for environmental justice. She’s is now headed to the University of Oxford for a Masters Degree. Kannan began her speech with “Mikka Nandri, Thank-you” to University Chancellor Dirks who she noted also speaks her mother tongue–Tamil. More on Radihika speech is at “source” above and an article about her here: http://newscenter.berkeley.edu/2015/05/04/medalist2015/
A second inspiring speech is by Vrinda Agarwal who gave the UC Berkeley Political Science Valedictorian Speech. She’s worked on rights for women in India’s slums, as well as rights for the poor communities of Oakland (Berkeley’s next-door neighbor). Her long-term goal is to become the first female Indian-American US Senator. She’s served as an officer of Berkeley’s Hindu Students Council. Her speech is at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vzXWBzwqZKY