A leading UK University today conferred an honorary doctorate on Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty for her outstanding contribution to cultural diversity.
The Leeds Metropolitan University has, in the past, honoured prominent Indian personalities who contributed to India’s emergence as a fast developing cinema-proud nation during its 60th year of freedom struggle.
Mangalore-born Shilpa Shetty is the youngest actor from the Indian film fraternity to join ranks of Amitabh Bachchan, Shabana Azmi and Yash Chopra who have been earlier chosen for the honour.

The Bollywood actress said,

It came as a huge surprise to me and I am really humbled by the gesture, Sharing the platform with great stalwarts like Amitji (Amitabh Bachchan), Yashji (Yash Chopra), and Shabanaji (Shabana Azmi) is a huge honour.

Describing it as a “huge honour”, Shilpa Shetty promised to live up to expectations.