CHENNAI: VIT vice-president Sekar Viswanathan was honoured with the Ulaga Thamizhar Maamani (Crown Jewel of World Tamils) award for his contributions to higher education at the 13th Global Tamils Economic Conference and Global Economic Summit in Mauritius.

The three-day conference, held from September 11 to 13, brought together over 200 participants, including heads of state, ministers, economic experts and investors from over 20 countries.

Mauritius President Dharambeer Gokhool presided over the award ceremony and presented the honour to Sekar Viswanathan, along with prominent Tamils from various fields around the globe.Discussions at the conference covered international investments, business opportunities, artificial intelligence, financial services, higher education, healthcare, startups and global trade.

VIT Chancellor G Viswanathan attended the event as chief patron and special guest. Minister for School Education Rajmohan and president of the Madras Development Society and World Tamils Economic Foundation VRS Sampath also attended the conference.

The award recognised Sekar Viswanathan's contribution to the higher education sector.

The conference provided a platform for participants from different countries to discuss economic cooperation, investment opportunities and emerging sectors, including technology and education.