V. Anantha Nageswaran, Chief Economic Advisor to the Government of India, handed over graduation certificates to the graduands during graduation day ceremony of The American College held here on Saturday.

Mr. Nageswaran, an alumnus of the institute, shared with the students about his days in the college and how it transformed and shaped his life.

“Graduation marks a shift in life which was previously instructional. It moves you to a world of freedom and responsibility, creating an identity, on your own terms and especially, without knowing the rules of the game,” he added.

“Each of you have a potential to do something that makes a net positive contribution to the world, which will occur as a result of intention, self-reflection and encountering uncomfortable but liberating truths,” he noted.

Further, he stressed that failure was inevitable and was necessary. He asked the students to compare themselves with who they were yesterday and not with somebody else.

A total of 2,543 graduands received their degrees.

Principal and Secretary J. Paul Jayakar delivered the welcome address.