The former Indian cricket captain Rahul Dravid is among the 12 personalities who will receive honorary doctorate from Gulbarga University during the 32nd annual convocation to be held on the university campus here on Thursday.
Vice-Chancellor E.T. Puttaiah told presspersons here on Wednesday that the list included people ranging from educationists and politicians to social activists. They would be conferred Doctor of Laws and Doctor of Sciences.
The other persons who will receive the honorary doctorate are Union Minister of State for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises K.H. Muniyappa; Municipal Administration and Waqf Minister Qamarul Islam; Rajyogini Brahmakumari Dadi Ratan Mohini; Sri Chennaveera Shivacharyaru of Samsthan Hiremath; Sri Shivanand Swamigalu of Siddalingeshwar Viraktamath; Dalit leader Shivaram Mogha; Editor of Agni Rajasekhar Hatagundi; secretary of the Hyderabad Karnataka Education Society Sharad Rampure, chairman of the New Horizon Educational Institution Mohan S. Manghnani; entrepreneur Krishnaji Kulkarni and contractor Dhareppa Uppar.
Defending the decision to confer the doctorate on so many people, Prof. Puttaiah said the university had received a total of 46 applications. The final list was selected by Governor H.R. Bhardwaj, who is also Chancellor of the university.
Prof. Puttaiah said that Ph.D and M. Phil would be awarded to 115 and 90 scholars respectively.
A total of 157 meritorious students who stood first in their respective courses would receive gold medals and cash prizes.
Sumita Pujari, a student of Doddappa Appa MBA Institute, topped the university by bagging eight gold medals and securing the first rank in MBA.
Hussain Basha came second by winning seven gold medals and securing the first rank in M.Sc. Mathematics.
Eminent scientist and Principal Scientific Advisor to the Union government R. Chidambaram will deliver the convocation address.
