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"I promise to dedicate a large proportion of my time to do whatever 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 in London in Friday evening.
"Of course, starting with my kids who are highly uneducated right now," he said.
Khan was conferred the Doctorate by Professor Les Ebdon, Vice Chancellor of the Bedfordshire University, in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the arts, media and culture at a special ceremony held at Washington Mayfare, a hotel owned by NRI entrepreneur Joginder Singh Sangar.
The Bollywood heartthrob, who has won several international recognitions including the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (Order of the Arts and Literature) from the French Government, the Malaysian title of Datuk - equivalent to a British Knighthood, said: "I could not believe that I may be addressed as Doctor from henceforth. My kids have, lifelong been asking me if I will be getting a stethoscope as an award. In my job as an actor, getting an honorary Doctorate is right up there, as an achievement."
Thanking the Bedfordshire University, one of the top UK universities, and the 'Routes 2 Roots', an Indian NGO which nominated him for the honour, Khan said, "It is a very very special honour. And it makes me to take seriously about what I do and what I have done in the past 20 years of my career. The feeling I get is that I should utilise this recognition to further the cause of those under-privileged children who do not get the opportunity to educate themselves.”
"Once again I want to thank everyone present here for making me realise there is a lot more important thing I can do to improve my life and the life of others."
Asked to describe about his feeling after receiving the Doctorate, Khan said, "This is one of the finest things that has happened in my career."
Answering a question why he did not go to the Bedfordshire University to receive the honour, he said, "I wish I should have gone earlier. But I have been suffering a couple of injuries, one after the other. As a matter of fact, these people (the Vice chancellor and others) relented and listened to confer the doctorate in London as I can not travel much."
Khan, who still has his left hand in a sling, said: "I would love to visit the University. I have seen some very nice things about the University in the video. Insha Allah, I would like to visit it soon."
Professor Les Ebdon said, "We will be delighted to have you. You can also meet the students."
Asked whether he would be instituting any scholarship in the University, Khan said: "I don't think I am such a big person to institute scholarship. But I would like to help people without lending my name."
When a Pakistani journalist pointed out that the 'Routes 2 Roots' was rendering an yeoman service by bringing people of India and Pakistan together, Khan said, "We people from India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka have a lot of cultural similarities. My family firmly believe in it. My father was from Peshawar in Pakistan and my mother from Hyderabad in India."
Asked whether he would visit Pakistan, the actor said "Insha Allah. May be sometime."
Khan said his son is interested in soccer and a fan of Manchester United. I might consider sending him for some training in football, he said.
Answering a question on how he felt about the death of pop star Michael Jackson, Khan said, "I felt I lost my youth when I heard Michael Jackson passed away."
Describing himself an ardent fan of Jackson, Khan said "The only music I knew or heard during the last three four years is that of Michael Jackson. I don't have any understanding of other western music. I felt very sad. I cried - it was since long I cried. My wife and kids also cried. I had met him. He was a wonderful creation of the God."
I WOULD LIKE TO CONGRATULATE sharukh khan
Hi Don and king of Bollywood congratulations for u r acheivemnets.....................
Sharukh the name comes only one thing get struck as "KING OF BOLLYWOOD".Inshah Allah one day he definately rule on the whole world as the "king of hollywood"
FIRST OF ALL I WOULD LIKE TO CONGRATULATE sharukh khan, Secondly I would like to correct this some evil minded people such as Ash who don't know wht has commented by Sharukh regarding his Children, this guy Ash writting exact opposit of it.
Berfordshire university is not one among the leading universities in UK. It is one of the low rung universities in UK.Bedfordshire was ranked 84th of 113 British universities in The Times Good University Guide league table, released in August 2007 and 95 out of 150 institutions in The Guardian's rankings. Please check the internet before claiming facts.But it is hoped that the title of Dr will drive in some sobriety to the street smart yet untalented Shah Rukh.
congratulations we are proud of you!
!DR. khan its great to see you at this level of honour .you are the most deserving person for this post . we are so lucky that entertainer like you emerges in india and make us proud at global level thanks to you and your parents and all those members which made this possible for us .bye !we always love you !!!!!!!!
Congrats! SRK!God bless U.
My dear SRK its all politics by big people around the world. Nice to see you to become a doctor and the last degree is post doctorate which you will get when ever you will like. You say your children are highly educated may I know are they from Indian western Agriculture or Western culture. I am sorry to say the way you have spoiled the Indian young generation from the last 15 years by acting in a western way which a poor country like India never deserved only God can forgive you. Congratulation for you for making your children highly educated.
with due respect to above critics, I am pakistan. His films and personality thought to work hard and it will pay. he is hope to the middle class.he truly desrve more than this.
hi srk, this is good news to you and all indians.i wish you do a good job for u and us. this is only for you.u deseve it by heart.before 20 years and after u create a lot of....from Fouji to Doctor very nice .i am the big fan of urs.Please do hard work and give us nice mooveies.
Jai hooo Dr. King Khan!!!!
You deserve the 'Great Honor'. I am one of your big fans. I wish, each and every awards be yours. Long live Dr. Khan.
People that say that Shahrukh Khan doesn't deserv or would buy the titles/awards he wins are very jealous idiots, that don't know nothing about his very hard work. Shahrukh Khan is a diplomate that represents his country as nobody else. He's a great actor, loved all over the world, the best export from India, a beautiful, simple, peaceful and integry person. Shahrukh Khan is a Mega Star, a phenomen, he deserves much, much, much more. Congratulations, Dr. Shahrukh Khan! God bless you!
I don't know...Why Indian news papers give so much publicity for this miniscule things...I am here in UK since 6 yrs...knows that every thing called as university is not university here....Just a collection of few courses unedr one roof with small 3 story building ....they call it as university...like some of our dental/medical maha vidyalayas, which you might have seen in first floor of building in cities like Bangalore.To be honest...Bedfordshire is by no means the leading university as described...Keep psychopancy to monimum...dont allow others to exploit us as rightly pointed out by Mr Kumar
If Dr.(sic)Shah Rukh Khan needed to be conferred an honourary doctorate to declare his intentions to do good to the poor and destitute children, he should be done the honour every now and then. Hopefully, such goods will not be confined to producing movies with the relative themes of upliftment. One more thing - unlike the stars in South, he would follow other illustrious actors and directors who have already been conferred one or more such honours but do not pre-fix 'Dr.' before their names
Though i liked watching some of his films like Swades, by no stretch of imagination, he has done anything credible to justify the doctorate being conferred on him. The poor man is clueless himself. Being a resident of UK myself, i strongly feel, the honour has more to do with Bedfordshire University trying to woo the prospective indian student via shahrukh's novelty value. It is no secret that some of the UK universities would have long shut their shop had it not been for the gullible overseas student paying through their nose to seek moderate education there. I am sure the fees paid by the University would be factored in the fees of the prospective Indian student. So much for the showbiz that is bollywood and education in some of the also ran overseas universities.
I fail to appreciate what is so great about SRK being given a doctorate by an unknown university. Indians are really so crazy about film stars,they don't even realize that it is almost a practical joke played on them!
He must have buy this as any other award. I just want to ask him how much it cost.... I want one....
You deserve the honor Mr Sharukh, i am a big fan of yours and i want you to receive what ever awards are there. Long live Sharukh, SRK is one and only King, Jai Ho King Khan
SRK you are the one who has taken the Hearts
@the Bedfordshire University, one of the top UK universitiesHehehehehehehe....88 in 113 is Times ranking. There are so many Pakistanies in UK that all this dramabaji is organised by them.
Shah Rukh Khan We all afghans love and pray for your more success! you are one of the pride performer of Pashtons meansPathans. Khan Jee We love you...Congratulations from All Afghans.
Dr Shah Rukh Khan you are also a wonderful creation of god we all pray for you and feel proud of you as a INDIAN Good Luck for all your endevours God Bless You and your Family.
Its great that this honarary doctorate has been given to Shahrukh Khan but the Uni of Bedfordshire is certainly not one "the UK's leading university's" its one of its least known.
