DU to honour Amitabh

Abantika Ghosh

NEW DELHI: An abdominal operation, an ill-timed income-tax notice and then speculation about yet another operation for hernia — for the Big B, 2006 began on a less than pleasant note. But now, here's some good news coming Amitabh Bachchan's way.

Delhi University, Bachchan's alma mater, has decided to confer an honoris causa degree on him in a special convocation to be held later this year, tentatively, sometime in October. DU's regular convocation is scheduled to be held on February 24.

The decision about the honourary degrees was taken in a recently held meeting of DU court. Bachchan's name, along with that of seven others was earlier passed in a meeting of the executive council.

Among the other names in the list are those of noted litterateur Mahashweta Devi, industrialist Ratan Tata and historian Romila Thapar.

Talking about the recommendation to honour Bachchan, DU EC member Shiv Shankar Gupta said: "It is a matter of great pride for the university that he was once a student here and this is an expression of the university's appreciation of his work."