President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has congratulated Dr Aminath Zahir, the nation’s first scholar to earn a PhD in Dhivehi, on completing her doctorate in Applied Linguistics at the Maldives National University (MNU).
Dr Aminath Zahir’s research was conducted and written entirely in the Dhivehi language, marking a historic achievement for the nation’s linguistic and academic community.
The President extended his congratulations during a meeting held on Monday morning at the President’s Office, expressing his great pleasure in celebrating this important milestone. He described her achievement as a great step forward in the promotion of the national language, noting that the preservation and enrichment of Dhivehi remain key priorities for his administration.
Dr Aminath Zahir expressed her gratitude to the President, stating that she was honoured that her work had been recognised. She noted that the meeting itself reflected the President’s commitment to advancing the Dhivehi language.
Also present at the meeting were the Minister of Dhivehi Language, Culture and Heritage, Adam Naseer Ibrahim; the Chancellor of the Maldives National University, Dr Mahmood Shauqee; and the University’s Vice-Chancellor, Dr Aishath Shehenaz. They discussed the administration’s efforts to promote the language and strengthen capacity-building in the field.
Dr Aminath Zahir’s PhD thesis focuses on strategies to promote and enrich Dhivehi. She presented a copy of her thesis to the President at the meeting.
President Dr Mohamed Muizzu presented a commemorative plaque to Dr Aminath Zahir at the official Republic Day ceremony Tuesday morning in recognition of her groundbreaking achievement in attaining the first doctorate in Dhivehi within the field of Applied Linguistics.