Honorary Doctorate for Girish Karnad

The University of Southern California, Los Angeles has decided to honour Girish Karnad with a Doctorate degree.

The University's President C.L. Max Nikias announces the honour at a meeting hosted by Shri Ratan Tata, Trustee of the University, on Monday 21 February at the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel, Mumbai, at 5.30 p.m. In his letter to Shri Karnad, Nikias has said the degree was being bestowed on him "To honour your pioneering contribution as a playwright as well as the seminal role you have played in shaping modern Indian theatre and the honour also recognizes your stellar accomplishments as writer, actor and director for film and television."

Mr. Karnad is the first theatre person to be honoured by the USC and at the Commencement Ceremony on Friday 13 May 2011, he will share the honour with five other distinguished people, including Steven A. Ballmer, Chief Executive Officer, Microsoft Corporation and Herald zur Hausen, virologist and Nobel Laureate.