We treat our celebrities like kings and queens. Don't we? Other than cheering for them and paying for their bills, we shower them with a lot of love. The recent case of a stampede at the Vadodra railway station during the promotion of the SRK movie Raees is an example of how devotedly we worship our heroes and heroines.
While most of these celebrities stash a lot of wealth, indulge in financial frauds and get away with crimes, there are a handful of them to whom we can really look upto. The ones who inspire us with their rightful actions and set an example for the future generation. In the past I have quietly seen famous celebrities accept honorary degrees for outstanding contribution in their fields, and blow one's horn about their achievements.
A few days ago, a cricketer set an example before us by declining the honorary doctorate degree conferred upon him by Bangalore university. Yes, it's none other than the gentleman of Indian cricket who has in the past earned praise for himself by his selfless actions for the team. While humbly refusing the honours showered on him, he said that he would rather earn a doctorate degree by accomplishing some form of academic research in sports. This is not the first time that Dravid has refused to accept an honorary doctorate conferred on him. Once before this he had declined an honorary doctorate from Gulbarga university.
For research students who spend years toiling to earn a doctor of philosophy degree in their area of study, universities bestowing honorary doctorates on celebrities is a bias against them. After all, there are no free lunches!
Celebrities like Rahul Dravid have shown us the way and role models like him are hard to find in this age when distorted schools of thought rule the roost.
Twitter users hailed his decision and one of them went on to say that nobody is perfect unless you are Rahul Dravid.
May his kind grow, because research is serious business and a doctorate degree is a not a freebie.
Picture credit: indianexpress.com
While most of these celebrities stash a lot of wealth, indulge in financial frauds and get away with crimes, there are a handful of them to whom we can really look upto. The ones who inspire us with their rightful actions and set an example for the future generation. In the past I have quietly seen famous celebrities accept honorary degrees for outstanding contribution in their fields, and blow one's horn about their achievements.
A few days ago, a cricketer set an example before us by declining the honorary doctorate degree conferred upon him by Bangalore university. Yes, it's none other than the gentleman of Indian cricket who has in the past earned praise for himself by his selfless actions for the team. While humbly refusing the honours showered on him, he said that he would rather earn a doctorate degree by accomplishing some form of academic research in sports. This is not the first time that Dravid has refused to accept an honorary doctorate conferred on him. Once before this he had declined an honorary doctorate from Gulbarga university.
For research students who spend years toiling to earn a doctor of philosophy degree in their area of study, universities bestowing honorary doctorates on celebrities is a bias against them. After all, there are no free lunches!
Celebrities like Rahul Dravid have shown us the way and role models like him are hard to find in this age when distorted schools of thought rule the roost.
Twitter users hailed his decision and one of them went on to say that nobody is perfect unless you are Rahul Dravid.
May his kind grow, because research is serious business and a doctorate degree is a not a freebie.
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