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Abraham Verghese defends immigrants at Harvard address
Verghese told his own immigrant story, praised foreign-born doctors, and urged graduates to value empathy, character, and time.
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Pranavi Sharma - Thu, 29, May 2025
- 23:22 EDT
- 120
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Dr. Abraham Verghese at the Harvard commencement. / Harvard
Dr. Abraham Verghese, an American physician and bestselling author born to expatriate Indian parents, delivered the principal address at Harvard University’s 374th Commencement on May 29. At the ceremony, Verghese told graduates to reflect on the contributions of immigrants and to move forward with courage, empathy, and a strong moral compass.
Verghese, who spoke at Tercentenary Theatre, drew from his own journey — born to Indian parents in Ethiopia, forced to flee civil war in 1974, and arriving in the United States after completing his medical studies in India. “When legal immigrants and others who are lawfully in this country, including so many of your international students, worry about being wrongly detained and even deported, perhaps it’s fitting that you hear from an immigrant like me,” he told the crowd, according to the Harvard Gazette.
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