Saturday, August 1, 2009

Honorary Doctorate Degree

On August 1, Anna University in Chennai, is going to award honorary doctorate degree to Music Director Mr. A. R. Rahman, Chandrayan Project Director, Dr. Mayilsamy Annadurai, and Deputy Chief Minister of Tamilnadu, Mr. M. K. Stalin,

The reason given by the Anna University:

Mr. Rahman – He won 2 Oscar Awards.

Dr. Annadurai – He was responsible for sending Chandrayan to the moon.

Mr. Stalin – He built lot of flyovers in Chennai to tackle the traffic problem.

I can understand for Dr. Mylswamy Annadurai.

Mr. Rahman? You compose very nice music. You won 2 Oscar Awards. Do you deserve an honorary doctorate degree for that? Since you won 2 Oscar Awards, your rate for the next movie should go up. You got paid very very well for working on Slumdog Millionaire. I know you are a nice person who is very simple and unassuming. I have heard much better music from you than Slumdog Millionaire.

After having said all these things, OK I can understand for Mr. Rahman.

Mr. Stalin? If you are elected as a MLA and become a Minister and then Deputy Chief Minister because your father is the Chief Minister, do you deserve an honorary doctorate degree? Is it not your every day job as a Minister to take care of the traffic problems?

Lot of Indian VIPs are getting honorary doctorate degrees. But do they deserve it?

Do these universities get any prestige by honoring these types of people?

Movie stars like Shah Rukh Kahn and Amitabh Bachchan got honorary doctorate degree. Other than acting in commercial movies for huge amount of money, what are their qualifications?

Politicians like Sharad Pawar, Lalu Prasad Yadav, Karunanidhi, and Jayalalitha got honorary doctorate degree. I don’t have to explain their qualifications and achievements. At least, Jayalalitha has double qualification….actress and politician…..so she should get double doctorate degree. Ha ha ha ha.

Sonia Gandhi received her honorary doctorate degree last year. Can someone explain her qualification and achievement?

My question is: Do they all put “Dr.” in front of their names all the time? I know in Tamilnadu, it is a must. You have to address Mr. Karunanidhi as Doctor, Kalaignar (artist), Mudalvar (Chief Minister).. If you address him as Mr. Karunanidhi, you are in big trouble. You have to address Jayalalitha as Doctor, Puratchi Thalaivi (revolutionary leader), Amma (mother). If you address her as Miss. Jayalalitha, you are in big trouble.

I read couple of jokes in a magazine which I want to share:

We have a problem since our leader got an honorary doctorate degree.
What?
Our leader is wearing a stethoscope all the time.

We have a problem since our leader got an honorary doctorate degree.
What?
Our leader wants to operate on patients in the hospital.

Any one who thinks that he/she deserves an Honorary Doctorate Degree or want to have one so that he/she can put “Dr.” in front of his/her name, please apply to Cosmopolitan University in Miami, USA, and you will get one for a nominal fee:

The web address is: http://www.cosmoedu.net/emailformdrhc.html

You don’t have to be a politician or a movie industry person or a cricket player.
Posted by at
Labels: , ,

23 comments:

  1. shilpaAugust 1, 2009 at 4:20 PM

    i think these awards simply mean now take these awards and give us donation for it.

    ReplyDelete
  2. SGAugust 1, 2009 at 8:12 PM

    Thanks for your comments Shilpa. You are exactly right. That is what they really mean. Do me some favors at a later date.

    ReplyDelete
  3. SGAugust 1, 2009 at 8:38 PM

    Shilpa,

    One more thing. At least these Indian Universities can be open and honest like the Cosmopolitan University in Miami.

    ReplyDelete
  4. ASAugust 2, 2009 at 5:21 AM

    hiii

    yaar i must also get a phd title for i can drive normal ppl crazy with my nasty posts and Pjs .hahaah!

    ;D

    ReplyDelete
  5. SGAugust 2, 2009 at 7:23 AM

    Thanks for your comments Dr. AS. I do not think your posts are nasty. They are very interesting.

    ReplyDelete
  6. InsigniaAugust 2, 2009 at 10:39 AM

    Superb post.

    There are so many others who do something for the welfare of the people and the country, the countless soldiers who protect the country at the border and sacrifice their lives so that common man lives in peace.

    Vijay(tamil actor) who hasn't even finished 50 movies in his career got awarded a honorary degree!! His movies don't even have any special messages but mere mass entertainers. No comments!!!!

    Anything is possible in this country...

    ReplyDelete
  7. SGAugust 2, 2009 at 10:47 AM

    Thanks for your excellent comments Insignia. I think Vijay is eligible for double honorary doctorate degree like Miss. Jayalalitha...because he is seriously thinking of starting his own political party and become a politician.

    ReplyDelete
  8. NRAugust 2, 2009 at 12:21 PM

    Lolz...it all about marketing your University, as u see then they'll b in the news n many who know about a particular university ...come to know about it. The example is very much here , see it found space on your blog...lol!!!

    ReplyDelete
  9. SGAugust 2, 2009 at 12:56 PM

    Thanks for your comments Nazish. Yes, it is all about marketing and, as Shilpa said, getting donations.

    ReplyDelete
  10. UrmiAugust 4, 2009 at 12:54 AM

    Fantastic post.In this present scenario everybody has become money-minded and the Universities also play a vital role in this.Even so many big personalities got award though they have not done anything great and may not have imagined.

    ReplyDelete
  11. SGAugust 4, 2009 at 6:45 AM

    Thanks for your comments Babli. And, welcome to my blog. You are right. Big personalities get honorary doctorate though they have not done anything great.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Varsha ShroteAugust 4, 2009 at 8:19 AM

    Superb post! Looks like you do lots of effort there to collect info:-)
    Keep it up! We love that effort.
    And yes, in a country where a handicapped person(i cant recall his name), who even after clearing Civil Services Exam thrice, has not been offered a post yet(he's fighting in court), giving these honorary degrees is atrocious. Why can't these Universities fight for a good cause??

    ReplyDelete
  13. SGAugust 4, 2009 at 9:17 AM

    Thanks for your comments Varsha. I sympathize with that physically challenged gentleman.

    ReplyDelete
  14. ekta khetanAugust 4, 2009 at 9:26 AM

    Honorary degree na hua, mazaak ho gaya! Now even a Bobby darling should get one. No, I am not being offensive to bobby but going by the logic where SRK to AB to Stalin getting doctorate for doing dramabazi, why not Bobby. At least Bobby is courageous enough to stand for herself in public and accept herself.

    By the way, why just cosmopolitan university in Miami?

    ReplyDelete
  15. SGAugust 4, 2009 at 10:37 AM

    Thanks for your interesting comments Numerounity. Cosmopolitan University is the only one, I have so far come across, who openly advertise for giving an honorary doctorate degree for a fee.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Who Posted This?August 4, 2009 at 3:54 PM

    I agree, especially about MK Stalin.
    Why should he get an honorary degree?

    He is only riding his father’s coat tails.
    It disgusts me to see that the only reason his career rose to its level was because of his father and family name.

    Regards,
    George W. Bush

    ReplyDelete
  17. SGAugust 4, 2009 at 4:29 PM

    Thanks Dubya for your comments. You are an out of the box thinker. When someone asked you "what is your biggest regret" in life...you never mentioned anything as a Texas Governor or a President. You said: My biggest regret in life is trading Sammy Sosa from the Texas Rangers (Professional Baseball team owned by Dubya).

    ReplyDelete
  18. MeiraAugust 10, 2009 at 3:00 AM

    I agree that a lot of deserving people don't get their dues. But think about AR Rehman...he's represented India on a global platform. Forget Slumdog, the rest of his music is equally popular globally.
    Stalin...I'm sure he has a huge hand in funding the university's education.
    And SRK n AB are actors beyond comparison. I may not like them personally, but they have succeeded in reaching great achievements in their own fields. The university awards them, probably so that it can be associated with such talented people. It helps to have a good network.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Priya NarasimhanAugust 10, 2009 at 4:31 AM

    what a brave post...hats off. I totally agree with you..

    ReplyDelete
  20. SGAugust 10, 2009 at 8:54 PM

    Thank for your comments Priya. And, welcome to my blog.

    ReplyDelete
  21. SGAugust 11, 2009 at 7:04 AM

    Thanks for your comments Meira. I appreciate it.

    ReplyDelete
  22. SmithaAugust 25, 2009 at 7:33 AM

    This was a wonderful post! All these honorary degrees have become totally meaningless! They are just distributed like hotcakes.. for political favours mainly..

    ReplyDelete
  23. SGAugust 26, 2009 at 3:14 PM

    I totally agree with you Smitha.

    ReplyDelete

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)