ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Shashi Tharoor delivers keynote at Tufts Fletcher School commencement
Tharoor obtained a Ph.D. in Indian foreign policy from Tufts at the age of 22, a record that continues to stand to this day.
-
Jeffin T. Kaleekal - Mon, 18, May 2026
- 02:27 EDT
- 25
Shashi Tharoor at the commencement ceremony / Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University via LinkedIn
Veteran Indian politician and Massachusetts-based Tufts University alumnus, Shashi Tharoor attended the graduation ceremony of the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University on May 17.
Tharoor delivered the keynote address at the school’s 2026 commencement ceremony. Speaking about Tharoor, the Fletcher School said, “It is an honor to welcome our accomplished alumnus, Dr. Tharoor, to share his wisdom and insights from a lifetime of experience as a diplomat, politician and author dedicated to making a global impact.”
Born in London, Tharoor describes himself as an Indian by choice. Born to Chandran and Lily Tharoor, he moved to India when his parents decided to relocate permanently.
At 19, Tharoor left India once again on a scholarship to join the prestigious Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy. His degree certificate bore the emblems of both Tufts and Harvard University.
ALSO READ: Ro Khanna pushes New Deal-style reforms at Suffolk University
He completed his MA and MALD, a master’s in law and diplomacy, before creating his first unbroken record by completing his Ph.D. in Indian foreign policy at 22. Shashi Tharoor’s doctoral thesis focused on Indian foreign policy under Indira Gandhi’s first administration from 1966 to 1977.
While at Fletcher, he received the Robert B. Stewart Prize for Best Student and also helped found and served as the first editor of the Fletcher Forum of International Affairs.
Shashi Tharoor started his diplomatic career in 1978 as a staff member in the Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees and was subsequently appointed special assistant to the U.N. undersecretary-general for special political affairs in New York before eventually venturing into Indian politics.
Tharoor, a four-time member of the Indian Parliament, announced his attendance at his alma mater’s graduation ceremony while sharing news of his inability to attend the swearing-in ceremony of fellow Indian National Congress leader V.D. Satheesan as chief minister of Kerala.
Tharoor said, “I am in Boston this weekend to deliver the commencement address at the graduation ceremony of my alma mater, the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University, and also to participate in the 50th anniversary reunion of my graduating class!”
He added, “An occasion for celebrating the past in the U.S. even as I look forward to the future in Kerala.”
Discover more stories on NewIndiaAbroad
Related
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
E Paper
Video
Comments
Start the conversation
Become a member of New India Abroad to start commenting.
Sign Up Now
Already have an account? Login