Rahman to be awarded honorary degree by AMU

By Agencies

Oscar winner and noted music composer A R Rahman will be conferred with an honorary D.Lit degree by the Aligarh Muslim University at its annual convocation on June seven. 

Noted Urdu writer Prof Gopi Chand Narang will also be honoured on the occasion. Narang will be awarded the degree of honoris causa by the AMU. 

The Governor of West Bengal Gopalkrishna Gandhi will be the chief guest at the annual convocation of the Aligarh Muslim University, which will be held on June 7. 

The first person to be awarded the degree of honoris causa by the AMU after independence was the late Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru in 1948. He was followed by Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, the first Union Education Minister, in 1949. 

Pandit Govind Balabh Pant, first Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, and Sardar Ballabh Bhai Patel, Union Home Minister, were awarded this degree in 1950. 

Among the other recipients of the degree are noted scientist and noble laureate Sir Alexender Todd in 1960 and Dr S Radha Krishnan, the late President of India, in 1966.

Source: ScreenIndia.

Big B turns down honorary doctorate by Oz university

By Agencies

Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan has reacted to racial attacks on Indian students in Australia by rejecting an honorary doctorate offered to him by an Australian university. 

The Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane had offered the 66-year-old veteran a doctorate for his contribution to the world of entertainment and Bachchan had earlier accepted the title.  The honour was to be conferred on the star in July as a part of celebrations to commemorate a retrospective of his films to be inaugurated in the city. 

"I have been witnessing with great dismay and shock, the recent violent attacks on Indian students in Australia, on the electronic media the entire day," Bachchan wrote on his blog. 

"I mean no disrespect to the Institution that honours me, but under the present circumstances, where citizens of my own country are subjected to such acts of inhuman horror, my conscience does not permit me to accept this decoration from a country that perpetrates such indignity to my fellow countrymen," he added. 

Australia has recently seen a series of attacks on Indian students, the most serious being the assault of Shravan Kumar, a 25-year-old student from Andhra Pradesh who is battling for life in a hospital here after being stabbed by a screwdriver by a group of teens in a weekend attack that also left three of his friends injured.

Source: ScreenIndia.

"Crazy Aunt" Oprah Addresses Grads, Receives Honorary Degree

By Megan Masters / May 10, 2009

It pays to have friends in high places.

That's what the 2009 graduating class of Duke University must have been thinking when Oprah Winfrey arrived at the ceremony to give a commencement address, as well as collect an honorary doctorate degree.

One possible reason for her appearance? Oprah's godson, and BFF Gayle King's son, William Bumpus, was among the 4,440 Duke graduates. Not that he is quick to brag about his Winfrey connection. Joked the Harpo big-wig, "Will never wants people to know he knows me. I'm like his crazy aunt that they let out at commencements."

Funny business aside, Winfrey provided sage advice and encouragement to the grads. "One of the best ways to enhance your own life is to enhance somebody else's," she said. "Each of us has to stand in our own shoes. Will you stand in them in humility and compassion and courage? Every day will give you a chance to make that choice." Winfrey was even generous enough to share her secret of success. "How can I help somebody else move to higher ground? That is success. That's it."

Not to be outdone by the mogul, Jimmy Fallon and Dolly Parton were also honored with degrees this weekend. Nearly fifteen years after leaving college to pursue his comedy career, Fallon completed his final semester and earned his bachelor's degree in communications. Parton also collected an honorary doctorate of humane and musical letters. Teased the country music legend, "Just think, I am Dr. Dolly."

Source: http://www.eonline.com