Chennai: Tamil Nadu chief minister M K Stalin on Friday told graduates at the Dr J Jayalalithaa Music and Fine Arts University in Chennai that his govt had shown no bias against the institution despite it carrying the name of former CM Jayalalithaa.

“We have not shown any discrimination to this university. On the contrary we expanded it with new courses, higher grants and new facilities since 2021,” he said during the convocation at the university.

“This is the political dignity I want to bring. Though this approach faded away in between, it should continue in future,” he said.

Stalin made four announcements for the development of the university and fine arts in the state. He said a folk arts training school would be established based on the request of Parai exponent and Padma Shri awardee Velmurugan, known as Velu Asan. Land would be allotted for the purpose at Valaiyankulam in Madurai district.

In the fine arts stream, a new master’s degree programme in the art preservation department will be introduced from the 2026–2027 academic year. Further, the university’s annual grant would be raised from 3 crore to 5 crore to strengthen teaching and administration, he said.

Stalin also announced that the state’s Naan Mudhalvan skill training programme would be widened to include music and fine arts students, offering modules in English communication and digital skills, it added.

The CM said technology, including artificial intelligence, could not replace human creativity and urged graduates to use emerging tools as support systems rather than substitutes.

He said artists should keep learning digital skills and cited actor Kamal Haasan’s recent engagement with AI courses. He said art should be used to counter social issues affecting young people and to strengthen language, culture and community identity.

Stalin conferred honorary doctorates on actor Sivakumar and painter Chandru at the convocation.

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