A R Rahman conferred honorary doctorate by AMU

Wasfia Jalali

Aligarh, Jun 7 (PTI) Oscar winning music director A R
Rahman was Sunday conferred an honorary doctorate by the
Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) for his contribution to the
field of art and music here in the northern state of Uttar
Pradesh.

Rahman, who created history by becoming the first Indian
to win 2 Oscars for his composition in 'Slumdog Millionaire',
was honoured along with noted Urdu scholar Gopi Chand Narang
at the 59th convocation of the historic institution.

Overwhelmed to have joined the likes of former presidents
Zakir Hussain and A P J Abdul Kalam and freedom fighter Khan
Abdul Ghaffar Khan, who are among the earlier recipients of
the award, Rahman urged Indian youth to work towards building
"a strong, harmonious India".

"I urge young people to continue learning and to
participate with me in building a strong, harmonious India
and world," Rahman said.

Crediting his success to Indian traditions and
philosophy, Rahman said: "it is only with these values that my
success has been realised both nationally and now after the
2009 Oscar, Bafta and Golden Globe Awards, internationally."

Describing art in general, and music in particular, as "a
transcendent language that all can understand", he said the
country needed more people who enter the fields of art,
culture and media.

"We see a majority of people in our country desiring to
become engineers, doctors and lawyers, But we need more people
in creative fields of media and art.

"In a world of mass killings, genocides and terrorism, we
need more positive emotions," Rahman said.

Ending his address with two words that got him the
oscars, "Jai Ho", Rahman said: "the trip to this institution
had helped firm my belief that education is the key to
eradicate poverty and address underdevelopment."

Narang, who also received an honorary D.Lit, for his
contribution to Urdu, said, the language of "plurality and
openness" was a major factor in shaping his beliefs that
reject all kind of totalitarianism.

West Bengal Governor Gopalkrishna Gandhi, who was the
chief guest of the event, said youngsters should lead the
country into rejecting all kinds of extremism, and advocated
adherence to moderation.

The AMU awarded PhD degrees to 291 students, while 1,490
students received their master's degrees and 251 students got
bachelor's degrees during the convocation function.

The varsity also presented 43 gold medals and 160
university medals. PTI WAJ
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