Asserting that steps should be taken to promote education tourism across the country, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Friday assured that no work of the Delhi University will stop due to the city government.

The chief minister made this statement while addressing a felicitation ceremony organised in her honour at the Delhi University (DU).

Reflecting on her student life, she credited Daulat Ram College for shaping her into a leader. The chief minister shared that when she joined Daulat Ram College in 1993, a year-long strike led her to engage with the Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) representatives.

This association eventually brought her into contact with the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), culminating in her election as the DUSU president in her final year, she said.

The chief minister nostalgically spoke about her activism, recounting how she used to organize political events in the DU colleges and across Delhi while riding a scooty.

“I never imagined that one day I would be responsible for the very roads I once travelled as a student,” she said. “I never thought that I would stand in the VC’s office, where I once protested, and now address the gathering from the stage,” she added expressing her gratitude.

The chief minister reaffirmed her commitment to the DU’s welfare, stating that she would fulfill her responsibilities toward the university with utmost dedication.  She also highlighted her vision of promoting educational tourism in Delhi alongside its existing tourist attractions.

Reminiscing about her college days, the chief minister fondly remembered the walls in front of Daulat Ram College and the popular local street foods like ‘bhelpuri’ and lemon soda.

The chief minister reminisced about the times she was scolded by her teachers and recalled the protests that led to her deeper engagement with the ABVP.

She humorously mentioned how she never thought she would one day converse with the officers of Maurice Nagar Police Station, where she and her peers were once taken after protests.

“I never imagined that I would be responsible for maintaining the very roads I once marched on,” she remarked, reflecting on her remarkable journey from student activism to governance.

DU Vice Chancellor Yogesh Singh, who presided over the event, emphasised that the university and the Delhi government would collaborate to further the cause of education.

He affirmed the DU’s full cooperation with the government in advancing educational initiatives.

The Vice Chancellor congratulated the chief minister, drawing a parallel between a university’s pride in its alumni and a parent’s joy in their child’s success.

“It is a matter of pride that a DU student, Rekha Gupta, has become the chief minister of Delhi. You have seen the DU as a student, as DUSU president, as a city councillor and now as the chief minister,” he said, adding that her journey would serve as an inspiration for female students.

The vice chancellor also highlighted DU’s initiatives, including seat reservations in admissions for single girl children and orphan students.

Speaking to reporters after visiting Daulat Ram College, the chief minister said, “I visited the campus of Delhi University after becoming the chief minister of Delhi. I feel humbled by the facilitation and think that this university has groomed so many students like me.”

“We need to develop our education system in such a way that a child does not feel any problem in education from KG to PG,” she added.

The chief minister also spoke about enhancing education tourism in Delhi and across the country so that students from abroad can come here and receive quality education.