Abraham Verghese, a best-selling author, Stanford professor, and infectious disease doctor, will deliver the commencement address at Harvard University’s 374th Commencement this week. The invitation comes at a pivotal time for the institution, as it navigates ongoing challenges with the Trump administration regarding academic freedom, federal funding, and a recent ban on international student enrollment.
Verghese’s address marks a significant departure from tradition, as he will be the first physician to speak at Harvard’s commencement since 1996, according to The Harvard Crimson. That year, Nobel laureate and former National Institutes of Health director Harold E. Varmus addressed graduates, emphasizing the shared human responsibility of supporting science.
Harvard President Alan M. Garber praised Verghese’s achievements in a statement, highlighting his “excellence across disciplines with an intensity surpassed only by his humanity, which shines brilliantly through his works of both fiction and nonfiction, as well as his work as a clinician and teacher.”
Verghese, 69, is a renowned physician whose career has spanned the United States, healing patients through medicine and connecting with audiences through his writing, including his 2023 novel, “The Covenant of Water.”
Verghese’s address follows a line-up of distinguished speakers at previous Harvard commencements, including Nobel laureate journalist Maria Ressa, Academy Award-winning actor Tom Hanks, former German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Academy Award-winning director Steven Spielberg, and media mogul Oprah Winfrey.
Read India Currents’ interview with Abraham Verghese here!
This text was edited with the assistance of an AI tool, and has been reviewed and edited for accuracy and clarity by India Currents.