Who Is Varatha Shanmuganathan? 87-Year-Old Gets Second Master's Degree

At 87 years old, Varatha Shanmuganathan is the oldest woman to get a graduate degree in Canada and the oldest person to get a master's degree from York University.

Earlier this month, Shanmuganathan was honoured at the Ontario Legislature for her inspiring pursuit of higher education that spanned across countries.

Shanmuganathanreceived her bachelor's degree from the University of Madras and moved to Canada in 2004. In 2019, she learned about the government's tuition waiver incentive for seniors and signed up for the master's programme.

Suggested Reading: Woman, 87, Honoured By Ontario Legislature For Receiving Second Master's Degree

Who Is Varatha Shanmuganathan?

• Varatha Shanmuganathan got her bachelor's degree from the University of Madras and her first master's degree from the University of London.
• She was in her mid-50s when she got her first master's degree and later moved to Canada.
• After learning about the tuition waiver incentive for seniors, she applied for the master's programme in York University.
• Shanmuganathan started her second master's degree when she was 85 years old during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• The subject of her research was Sri Lanka after the civil war and the prospects of peace.
• She was honoured at the Ontario Legislature for her relentless pursuit of education and her two master's degrees.
• During a speech, Vijay Thanigasalam, a member of the Provincial Parliament of Ontario described Shanmuganathan as an "inspiration to the younger generation beginning their journey or our seniors looking for the next adventure".
• The video of Shanmuganathan being honoured at the Ontario Legislature went viral on social media and received more than 1.5 lakh views. The video showed her receiving a standing ovation from the members of the Ontario Legislature.
• Shanmuganathan was seen interacting with several Canadian ministers in the viral video, including the Minister of Education.
• Thanigasalam wrote in the caption that her "love for teaching and learning has allowed her the opportunity to live and teach in four different continents throughout her life".
• Shanmuganathan said via social media that young people should use their university education to make a positive change in the world. She said, "do your degrees, not just for career's sake. It should be something that should be life-changing."