UK University honour Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan with an honorary doctorate
'Dr Shah Rukh Khan' vows to help destitute children

London, July 11, 2009
Surinder Sharma

Shah Rukh, who has a huge fan base across the globe, also a film producer and television host, has been awarded a honorary doctorate in Arts and Culture from the University of Bedfordshire on Friday 10 July, 2009 at the Washington Mayfair Hotel, London from Vice Chancellor Les Ebdon, CBE, a hotel owned by NRI entrepreneur Joginder Singh Sangar. This was an invitation-only event.

He was nominated by Routes 2 Roots, a non-governmental organisation which endeavours to bring together people, cultures and values from across southern Asia, in particular India and Pakistan.

Deputy Vice Chancellor (External Relations) Ashraf Jawaid, said: “We are absolutely delighted to confer this honorary doctorate on Shah Rukh Khan. He has made an outstanding contribution to the arts, culture and media which is recognised around the world.”

The actor was nominated by NGO Routes to Roots which has people like Anuradha Mahindra, Juhi Chawla and Mahesh Bhatt among its patrons.

"Shah Rukh Khan was selected by us after careful study since he has his head and heart at the right place in spite of being crowned the king of the Bollywood. The superstar has done immense work for the under privileged and downtrodden and has always come forward for charities in case of natural disasters," said Tina Vachani, one of the founders of routes to roots.

"I promise to dedicate a large proportion of my time to do whatever is within my capacity to further the cause of education among kids as a way of my thankfulness and gratitude for this honour," Khan said after receiving the doctorate here last evening. "Of course, starting with my kids who are highly uneducated right now," he joked.

"Interestingly my kids don't understand this doctorate and believe I will be awarded a stethoscope," he joked at the degree ceremony.

Khan also joked that he might get to keep his university robes: "I have sweated in them - they can't be returned unless I dry clean them."

The ceremony was also attended by the famously barefoot Indian painter MF Hussain and British film maker Gurinder Chadha.

Shah Rukh started his career in the late 1980s appearing in several television serials. He made his film debut with the commercially successful Deewana in 1992 and since then has gone on to play a variety of critically acclaimed roles.

He has won seven Filmfare Best Actor Awards and appeared in films such as Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge (1995), Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998), Chak De India (2007) and Om Shanti Om (2007) and Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi (2008) which remain some of Bollywood’s biggest hits.

Films such as Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham (2001), Veer Zaara (2004) and Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna (2006) have been hits overseas making Shah Rukh one of the most successful actors of Hindi cinema. Since 2000 Shah Rukh has branched out into film production and television presenting.

He is married with two children. In April 2007 a life-size wax statue of him was unveiled at Madame Tussauds in London. During the same year, he was accorded the Ordre des Arts and des Lettres (Order of the Arts and Literature) award by the French government for his “exceptional career”.

Now Dr. Shah Rukh Khan-- honorary doctorate was awarded at a hotel owned by NRI entrepreneur Joginder Singh Sangar. This was an invitation-only event.

'Best' hotel in London, owned by NRI

Click