NEW DELHI, 5 November 2006 — Having shot to fame on the big screen as the “angry young man,” Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan, better known as Big B, will now have a different title — “Dr.” B. Yesterday he was conferred an honorary doctorate by Delhi University along with other distinguished personalities.
“Who would have thought that an average student would one day be conferred such an honor at the same university he studied in?” Bachchan asked at the function held during the felicitation ceremony here.
He is the first film personality to receive this honor from Delhi University.
Bachchan studied at Delhi University’s Kirori Mal (KM) College and completed his BSc in 1967. Recalling his college days, when he would bunk classes, visit the market nearby or just stand outside the famous girls’ college, Miranda House, he said:
“It goes without saying that there is a palpable nostalgia... About the hours spent at the coffee house, at the bus stop outside the Miranda, yes, yes, always outside the Miranda House.”
As he mentioned Miranda House the audience broke out into laughter.
Receiving the degree, Bachchan also credited the university for having given him “serious” encouragement as an actor. Frank Thakurdas, political science lecturer at KM, was instrumental in making Bachchan join the college dramatics society — “Players.” The rest, as they say, is now history.
In his brief address, Bachchan thanked the university authorities for this honor. His wife Jaya, son Abhishek, daughter Shweta and son-in-law Nikhil Nanda, besides good friend Amar Singh (Samajwadi Party) were present at the function.
Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, cartoonist R.K. Laxman, prominent scientist C.N.R. Rao (scientific adviser to prime minister), industrialist Ratan Tata, historian Romila Thapar and writer Mahashweta Devi were the other personalities honored.
The vice-chancellor of the university conferred the “honoris causa” degree to them for their exemplary contribution in their respective fields. While others were present at the ceremony, Tata, Thapar and Devi could not make it to the function.
In her address, Dikshit said: “I am overwhelmed. I never dreamt of it.” Dedicating her degree to Delhiites, Dikshit did not refrain from commenting that not too many politicians receive such honor.
“But I would like to tell you that not many in my field achieve anything to deserve this kind of honor,” she said.
Bachchan was declared as superstar of the millennium in 1999 by a BBC online poll. He received the honorary doctorate degree from Britain’s prestigious De Montford University in Leicester on July 19. France will honor him with its highest civilian award “The Legion d’Honneur” (Officer of the Legion of Honor).
