MTS Honoring Graduates Ceremony 2025

Massachusetts Tamil Sangam (MTS) held its fourth annual graduation ceremony at the Shrewsbury Public Library to recognize recent high school graduates. The event honored nine distinguished graduates and featured keynote addresses from four guest speakers and two chief guests, who offered career guidance and life lessons to the graduates and student attendees.

Earlier in the day, the event decoration team arrived at the venue to set up. They adorned the podium with vibrant MTS decor, arranged plaques for each graduate, and prepared bouquets for the guest speakers. The MTS Executive Board and Youth Volunteers were recognized for their professionalism and attention to detail in organizing the setup.

As families from Shrewsbury and the greater community gathered, the program formally began at 2:00 PM with the Tamil Thai Vazhthu, an anthem that highlights the rich culture of the Tamil language. This was followed by the Star-Spangled Banner, representing how all attendees balance their Tamil cultural roots with the American culture that has offered them opportunities to prosper.

Once all attendees were seated, Mrs. Rampriya Sundaramoorthy, Senior Director of Events and Youth Development at MTS, delivered the Welcome address. She welcomed guests and graduates, emphasized the value of education, and praised the dedication and accomplishments of the students. She also highlighted the remarkable effort by volunteers in planning the event within just two weeks.

The program continued with a Career Guidance segment, featuring guest speakers from diverse industries:

●            Mrs. Sakthi Balaji, Senior Scientist at AbbVie Inc, opened the session with a presentation on career opportunities in biotechnology. She explained the intricate drug development process using a simplified workflow and her role in genetic characterization, captivating the audience with insights into the field’s growing importance.

●            Mr. Arvind Ramakrishnan, an Inventor and AI Entrepreneur, followed with a talk on balancing technological advancement with human values. He emphasized the importance of emotional intelligence in an AI-driven world. His references to Tamil movies, such as the film Enthiran, resonated particularly well with the younger audience and brought laughter to the room.

●            Mr. Mani Pandi, Principal Consultant at Maitsys and founder of Lobbylink.AI, shared both his career journey and his personal transformation as a self-trained marathon runner who has achieved the coveted Six Star Medal. His journey from a self-described couch potato to a world-class marathon runner demonstrated to the audience that with perseverance, anything is possible.

●            The final guest speaker was Mr. Ramesh Jayachandran; he is the current Vice President at Fidelity Investments and delivered an engaging and educational presentation. His interactive presentation style and engaging references to money in real life captivated everyone. Mr. Jayachandran spoke in detail about career opportunities in finance and business, along with the current state of financial markets.

Next came the highlight of the day: the Graduate Recognition Ceremony. Each graduate was introduced by a Youth Volunteer with a one minute speech summarizing their achievements. Graduates then took the stage with their families to receive an official MTS plaque and share personal reflections on their high school experience and advice for younger students.

Congratulations to the following honored graduates:

Amritha Devaraj, Hiranmayi Lakshmi Narasimhan, Sivapriya Kathiravan, Sreevatsen Suresh Kumar, Vedanth Saranath, Vaisalli Navaneethan, Tarun Karthick Prasanna, Harshini Vijayavelan, and Srikari Vissa. These students will begin the next chapter of their academic journeys at prestigious institutions including Harvard University, UMass Amherst, Rutgers University, University of Pittsburgh, Virginia Tech, Northeastern University, and Purdue University.

The ceremony concluded with powerful messages from two Chief Guests:

●            Dr. Hariharan Naganathan, a Professor at Wentworth University and an active construction manager, addressed the common misconception that the construction industry consists solely of laborers by highlighting the diverse career opportunities available, including management positions. He also described recent advancements in technology, including the addition of Virtual and Augmented Reality and Artificial Intelligence in construction design. His presentation served as an inspiration to all the youth in the room.

●            Dr. Barur Rajeshkumar, a Senior Research Scientist & Lab Manager of Cardiovascular Medicine at UMass Medical School, spoke to the audience. He emphasized the importance of community service, discussing his role as a Select Board Member of West Boylston and a Trustee of the Quinsigamond Community College. Along with the career opportunities in the research and development field, he also shared how public service has shaped his identity, and asserted the importance of civic engagement for students. He motivated the younger generation by adding that you don’t need a perfect plan, and all you need is courage to take the first step and curiosity to keep learning, even if the path ahead is unclear. Finally, he concluded by inspiring the audience, stating, “If a person like me from a small village in South India could come to the US and establish a successful leadership role in career and public affairs, so can you."