Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu on Tuesday, October 10 received an honorary doctorate degree from India’s Jawaharlal Nehru University.

She received the honorary doctorate degree during her four-day state visit to India.

President Samia was being recognized for her efforts in transforming the education sector, economy, gender issues and democracy in Tanzania.

In her acceptance speech, President Samia said she will work towards strengthening the partnerships between Tanzania and India. 

She appreciated the award as she reflected on her childhood experiences as a girl from an African and Muslim community in Zanzibar where she was born and raised.

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The Tanzania President also commemorated her life under the care of her father who was a teacher and her mother, who was a housewife. 

She added that her parents had no idea that one day, their daughter would become president. 

This is the second honorary doctorate degree for Samia Suluhu since she was sworn in as president.

Last year, she received her first honorary doctorate degree from the University of Dar es Salaam. 

At the same time, Jawaharlal Nehru University vice chancellor Prof. Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit noted that Samia Suluhu was the second president of Tanzania to receive an honorary doctorate degree from the institution.

This was after the founder President Mwalimu Julius Nyerere received an honorary doctorate from the university in 1995.

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Prof. Pandit added that Jawaharlal Nehru was one of the leading universities in the country with high rankings internationally. 

The university is also well known for producing two Nobel Prize Winners.