Spot the odd one: (From top) MGR, Jayalalithaa, Karunanidhi, Stalin. The first three got doctorates after they became chief minister

Chennai, July 26: Deputy chief minister M.K. Stalin has been chosen for an honorary doctorate, not an uncommon occurrence elsewhere but in Tamil Nadu politics, the gesture being seen as another sign that he will be the political heir of father M. Karunanidhi.

Honorary doctorates are normally reserved for chief ministers in state politics, with Karunanidhi, M.G. Ramachandran and Jayalalithaa among the major politicians to have been given such titles when in power.

But the latest announcement by Anna University makes Stalin “pre-qualified” for the top job.

Stalin will be given the doctorate in humanities and social sciences on August 1, “primarily for his work as local administration minister for all sections of society in building flyovers and encouraging self-help groups”, Anna University vice-chancellor P. Mannar Jawahar has announced.

At this Saturday’s convocation, Stalin will rub shoulders with A.R. Rahman and Chandrayaan project director Mayilsamy Annadurai, who are being honoured in a similar way.

For Rahman, this will be his third doctorate post-Oscar: the first one was from Aligarh Muslim University and the second from Middlesex University in London recently.

Since Stalin, a graduate of Madras University, will be the first leader to get such an honour even before becoming chief minister, it can safely be presumed that more such honours will be bestowed on him once he finally takes the top job.

But the succession race could get hotter and tighter if another university decides to similarly honour Stalin’s elder brother and Union chemicals minister M.K. Azhagiri, a distinct possibility in a state famous for unbridled sycophancy.

Chief minister Karunanidhi himself showed the way when an honorary doctorate was conferred on him by Annamalai University in 1971 — two years after becoming chief minister — notwithstanding violent protests by students and the death of one in the police lathicharge that followed.

He got two more subsequently, under more peaceful circumstances, the more recent being the one from Madras University, which conferred him the honour along with Sonia Gandhi and Manmohan Singh on the occasion of its 150th year celebrations three years ago.

Although her political mentor MGR was given only two doctorates during his 10-year rule, ADMK leader Jayalalithaa notched up five doctorates during her two tenures — from five universities, including the state’s medical and agricultural universities.

“Since most vice-chancellors are political appointees, honorary doctorates for the rulers of the day have become their way of thanksgiving. In the process, the institution of honorary doctorate itself has got devalued in Tamil Nadu,” rued a retired vice-chancellor.

Even deemed universities have jumped into the fray. Once Satyabhama University conferred such a title on Kamal Haasan, other private universities took the cue and lined up their own set of celebrities, from film stars to sportspersons, for the honour.

A.C. Shanmugam, a former MLA and chancellor of Dr. M.G.R. University, once declared after honouring film star Vijay that his university would not rest before conferring a hundred honorary doctorates.

“Private universities have started using these honorary doctorates more as a publicity stunt since any news on film stars makes a big media splash.

“Because of this, stars have started canvassing for these titles so their fans have one more reason to celebrate and can put the “Dr” title in front of the star’s name on posters,” said a PRO in the film industry, although honorary doctorates do not accord such an honorific.