Bollywood star Sharmila Tagore is being honoured for her outstanding contribution to Indian cinema by a Scottish University.
The award-winning star, who is the great grand-niece of acclaimed Indian poet Rabindranath Tagore, is to receive an Honorary Doctorate of Arts from Edinburgh Napier University.
Sharmila will join leading figures from the worlds of foreign affairs, business and education to collect the award at a ceremony on Thursday 25th October at The Usher Hall.
The honour comes just months after the University’s Institute for Creative Industries opened The Scottish Centre for Tagore Studies (ScoTs), the first centre of its kind in the UK dedicated to Rabindranath Tagore’s legacy.
With a glittering career spanning six decades, Sharmila has won National Film Awards and Filmfare awards, the equivalent of The Oscars, for her performances and last year picked up the Special Award for Outstanding Achievement in Indian Cinema from the International Indian Film Academy.
The acclaimed actress will receive her honorary degree alongside around 1000 Edinburgh Napier students who are set to graduate at the autumn ceremony.
The other Edinburgh Napier University honorary degree recipients are:
- Anil Kumar Anand: former Consul General of India in Edinburgh. He will receive an Honorary Doctorate of the University.
- Geoff Day: Director of Communications for Mercedes-Benz USA and former BBC journalist. He will receive an Honorary Doctorate of Business Administration.
- Robert Rankin: former Deputy Dean, Edinburgh Napier University. He will receive an Honorary Fellowship.
Sharmila Tagore said: “It is indeed a privilege to be conferred an Honorary Degree by Edinburgh Napier University. It recognises the significant influence of Indian Cinema on the global cultural arena and the small role that I have played in its history. As we celebrate a hundred years of Indian Cinema, this is both a happy and humbling moment.”
Anil Anand said: “I am deeply moved and humbled to receive this honorary doctorate from such a prestigious educational institution. It is an overwhelming gesture which I am very proud to accept.”
Geoff Day said: “My years at Edinburgh Napier University gave me the foundation in business, social and life skills to be able to have built my career in the UK and now in the USA. I couldn’t be more proud to receive this Honorary Doctorate from a great University with great staff and the best students!”
Robert Rankin said: “”I was surprised and delighted to be awarded an Honorary Fellowship by Edinburgh Napier University. It’s both a pleasure and an honour to round off my time at the University in this way.”
Professor Dame Joan Stringer, Principal and Vice-Chancellor of Edinburgh Napier University, said: “We are very pleased to be able to recognise figures who have made such significant contributions to the fields of culture, foreign affairs, business and education. Their achievements and passion are an inspiration to our students.”
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