Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman addressed an audience at SSKV College of Arts and Science for Women in Kilambi Village, Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu, on 25 June 2026, during celebrations marking the 120th year of the SSKV Group of Institutions. The event also saw the release of a book titled 'Daughters of Kanchi — The SSKV Story', chronicling the institution's journey.

Context

The SSKV Group of Institutions, whose 120-year milestone places its founding in the early decades of the twentieth century, stands as one of the older women-focused educational establishments in the Kanchipuram region. The release of 'Daughters of Kanchi — The SSKV Story' marks an effort to document and preserve the institution's historical contribution to women's education in Tamil Nadu. Kanchipuram, historically recognised as a centre of traditional learning, has long been associated with initiatives to expand schooling for girls.

Policy backdrop

Central ministers regularly attend centenary and milestone events of long-standing educational institutions, using such platforms to spotlight regional contributions to women's education. The SSKV Group's founding era coincides with the early-twentieth-century expansion of girls' schooling across the erstwhile Madras Presidency, a period credited with laying the groundwork for women's literacy gains across what is today Tamil Nadu. Sitharaman, who has roots in the state, has consistently engaged with Tamil Nadu's cultural and educational institutions as part of broader BJP outreach in the region.

Stakeholders and impact

The primary beneficiaries of such milestone recognition are the women students, alumnae, and faculty associated with SSKV College of Arts and Science for Women and its affiliated institutions. Events of this nature also serve to reinforce the profile of historic women's colleges at a time when national policy discussions around the National Education Policy (NEP) continue to emphasise equity and access in higher education. For Kanchipuram district, the occasion draws attention to an educational legacy that has shaped multiple generations of women from the region.

What's next

The publication of 'Daughters of Kanchi — The SSKV Story' may prompt similar archival and documentation efforts by other historic institutions in Tamil Nadu as they approach their own milestone anniversaries. Separately, any state-central coordination on NEP implementation in Tamil Nadu will be watched closely, given the broader context of educational policy outreach that events like this reflect. The SSKV Group's anniversary also invites scrutiny of how private institutions with century-long legacies are integrated into contemporary higher-education frameworks.