Siliguri, Oct. 29: The North Bengal University is mulling giving honourary Doctor of Letters to celebrities such as Amitabh Bachchan and Sachin Tendulkar during its 45 annual convocation.
The names of this year’s Nobel Peace Prize winner Kailash Satyarthi, champion boxer Mary Kom and novelist Samaresh Majumdar are also being discussed for the honourary DLitt, but none of the names are final.
Some university faculty members expressed surprise that names such as Bachchan and Tendulkar were being discussed but said they were not opposed to the honour being conferred on them. “We don’t know if there was political influence in the matter but this decision certainly falls in line with Trinamul’s trend to associate with glamour,” a head of the department said.
The Executive Council has consented to these names but none of the four celebrities has been contacted yet for their approval. Also, the university court, its highest decision-making body, has to approve the list and the governor, which is the chancellor, has to give his approval.
According to university sources, there were more names on the list being discussed, but there was no confirmation on who else could be awarded the degree. Among the names being discussed, only one or two of them would be honoured.
“The EC has consented on a list of seven names each for honourary DLitt and DSc degrees at the 45th annual convocation of the varsity that will probably be held in December or early next year according to the date provided by governor Keshari Nath Tripathi,” said a university source.
The DLitt — doctor of letters — was conferred on writer Syed Mustafa Siraj, economist Andre Beteille and sarod player Ustad Amjad Ali Khan in 2009, 2010 and 2011, respectively.
The varsity did not hold convocation in 2012.
In 2002, the NBU had conferred the DLitt on Nobel laureate Amartya Sen.
Vice-chancellor Somnath Ghosh refused comment when asked the reason for choosing Amitabh Bachchan and Sachin Tendulkar over unsung, yet also deserving, names from Bengal.
“I cannot comment on why we plan to confer the degrees to them. The list still awaits the consent of the varsity court,” he said.
University sources said the VC himself had proposed the names of Bachchan and Tendulkar at a meeting held with heads of departments last month.
“There are no guidelines that the varsity has to follow while conferring honourary degrees. However, this is the first time that we are approaching people with such celebrity status. We don’t know if there was political influence in the matter but this decision certainly falls in line with Trinamul’s trend to associate with glamour,” a senior varsity official said.
“The VC suggested the names of Amitabh Bachchan and Sachin Tendulkar at a meeting of department heads and sought more names from us. We suggested Mary Kom, Samaresh Majumdar and Kailash Satyarthi.”
The list has some faculty members surprised.
“Some of us were surprised that such big names were proposed but the VC explained that giving them the degrees would glorify the varsity’s name and bring the institute under focus throughout the country,” the head of the department who spoke to Metro said.
However, not all the celebrities would be conferred the DLitt this year.
Usually, varsity sources said, one person each will be conferred the DLitt and the DSc.
“After ratification from the governor, the varsity will contact these personalities in an order of preference. The final names from the list will be selected by the varsity authorities subject to consent from the persons concerned,” an NBU source said.
