GORAKHPUR, July 2 -- President Droupadi Murmu on Tuesday underscored the transformative power of education, calling it the most effective means of empowerment, as she inaugurated key facilities including a girls' hostel, an academic building, an auditorium and a panchakarma centre at Maharana Pratap Shiksha Parishad's Gorakhnath University here. She said lack of infrastructure and safety concerns are major barriers that continue to discourage girls from pursuing higher education. Addressing a gathering at the university, Murmu shared her personal journey of moving nearly 300km from her village to Bhubaneswar in 1970-71 to continue her education after Class 7. She credited the availability of a safe hostel as a crucial factor in enabling her to pursue higher studies. "Though the situation has improved, many girls today still face challenges such as lack of safety, harassment and violence on their way to school, often forcing them to drop out," she said. The President lauded UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath's initiative to construct a girls' hostel at Gorakhnath University, calling it a significant step towards empowering women through education. She also planted a Rudraksha sapling as part of the ceremony. "Education is the most powerful tool for empowerment. The foundation of this girls' hostel brings me immense joy," she said, reiterating her belief in the transformative power of education. Murmu praised the contribution of Maharana Pratap Shiksha Parishad in promoting the spirit of nationalism and expressed hope that students of the university would excel in professional education while staying rooted in spirituality and patriotism. She acknowledged the legacy of Mahant Digvijaynath and Mahant Avaidyanath in shaping the institution's values. She noted that the newly inaugurated academic building will enhance learning facilities for both students and faculty, while the panchakarma centre will serve as an effective medium for treating chronic ailments. Highlighting the university's achievements, the President remarked that this is the first private university in Gorakhpur to actively contribute to higher education under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. Inaugurated by former President Ram Nath Kovind, the university has made impressive progress within just four years, under the guidance and support of chief minister and chancellor Yogi Adityanath. Concluding her address, the President emphasized that a healthier and safer eastern Uttar Pradesh will drive the state's holistic development....