Fun doctors!

Anuradha Varma, TNN, Sep 19, 2010, 11.29am IST

When UK's Bedfordshire University awarded actor Shah Rukh Khan an honorary doctorate, his former friend-turned-foe Salman Khan quipped, "Arre iss doctor ke paas patients bhejo aur ilaaj karao," (Send patients to this doctor)." Well, Shah Rukh isn't the only doctor-entertainer around.

Yash Chopra, Amitabh Bachchan, Javed Akhtar, Shabana Azmi, Akshay Kumar and even Shilpa Shetty have all been conferred honorary doctorates. Recently, Rishi Kapoor was honoured with a knighthood from Russia.

However, it's less academics and more economics that makes for such news. Sachin Tendulkar recently made a charming photo-op dressed in the Indian Air Force uniform as he was made honorary Group Captain. He would function as the Forces' brand ambassador, said a spokesperson. But, couldn't he have done that without being made Group Captain?


It's also a way to get a celebrity brand endorsement cheap. Says adman Santosh Desai, "A celebrity gets associated with a cause without having to be paid. It's a win win situation for both. If done meaningfully, it goes beyond crude commercial benefits.

However, it does become a joke at times." Columnist Pritish Nandy believes we must clear our perceptions about who deserves what and why, "The idea of giving a Bharat Ratna to Sachin (as recommended by the Maharashtra government), however great his sporting achievements may be, is not right. The Bharat Ratna is meant for people who have improved the life of millions, contributed to the making of a nation. Doctorates too are meant for great achievers, not entertainers."

It belittles the effort and accomplishment of others who worked hard for the same academic honour. It's not fair for doctorates to be doled out to stars who may have excelled, but certainly not in academics, says Iti Dandona, assistant professor in Delhi's Shivaji College. She says, "It takes three to five years of research to get a doctorate."

Debraj Mookerjee, associate professor, Ramjas College, believes there's a "brand connect" with Sachin, "It's a token acknowledgement. This is about promoting the IAF and not Sachin." He adds, "As long as Shilpa Shetty doesn't stop dancing and start teaching, all is well!"

Writer and columnist Shobhaa De says, "If Sachin's star power can motivate the youth to enlist in the Air Force, then his honorary title of a Group Captain would be entirely justified."

Why not just make the celebrity a brand ambassador, just like for a cola or any other brand? Isn't it time we decided to reserve awards for the fields they are meant for, like the Oscars for good cinema? Explains J A K Tareen, vice chancellor of Pondicherry University, which conferred a doctorate on Javed Akhtar, "It is the tradition in universities to recognise outstanding personalities in several walks of life — people who have made significant contribution in their field and which has impacted society in a substantive manner. Like we have honoured Somnath Chatterjee and Annadorai."

When chess legend Vishwanathan Anand declined his doctorate from the University of Hyderabad after his nationality was questioned, he wasn't missing much. After all, isn't being Anand good enough?

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/bollywood/news-interviews/Fun-Doctors/articleshow/6583843.cms