He has been awarded a doctorate from the Bedfordshire University in UK for his contribution to arts and culture. “The honour brought me a lot of joy,’’ says SRK, who is currently on vacation with Gauri and his children Aryan and Suhana. He laughs when he is addressed as ‘Dr’ and says, “Somehow it makes me feel slightly older when someone calls me Dr Shah Rukh Khan.’’

Describing his time on the podium where he received the honour, he says, “Wearing that square cap with tassels tilted to the left, brought images of the heroes of the 70s; it was an oft-repeated thing in films those days. I didn’t know whether etiquette required me to take Aryan and Suhana along for the convocation ceremony. So I left the children behind.’’ Happily, Gauri was by his side when he received the honour. “I sincerely hope my parents could have watched this… and I hope that it was a proud moment for them wherever they are,’’ the Bollywood Badshah says emotionally.

It is five months since he underwent shoulder surgery, but SRK is still in pain. “I completed a long spell for Karan Johar’s My Name is Khan in San Francisco,’’ he says. “We got lucky because we had long days and could pack in ample work. However, my shoulder still hurts.’’ He recounts how he shot for a song sequence for Dulha Mil Gaya in which he has a guest appearance and strained his operated shoulder. The actor has been in touch with his surgeon in Mumbai and has been reassured that the recurring pain is part of the rehab, so he continues to go about his daily chores with enthusiasm.

Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan has been nominated to receive an honorary doctorate in arts and culture from Britain’s University of Bedfordshire.

Shah Rukh Khan

Shah Rukh, the first foreign actor to be conferred the Malaysian title of Datuk – akin to a British knighthood – last year, will receive his first doctorate July 10.

The actor was chosen for the doctorate by NGO Routes to Roots, a member of the World Association of Non-Governmental Organization (WANGO) that works closely with universities and educational trusts in various countries, said a press release.

“I am delighted that Routes to Roots nominated me for the honorary doctorate in arts and culture from the Bedfordshire University, Britain, and it will be my pleasure to receive it personally July 10 in London,” said Shah Rukh.

Routes to Roots is a non-profit charitable organisation and endeavours to bring people and cultures together across the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc) countries in general and India and Pakistan in particular. Actor Juhi Chawla and filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt are among its patrons.

“Shah Rukh Khan was selected by us after careful study since he has his head and heart at the right place in spite of being crowned the king of Bollywood. The superstar has done immense work for the underprivileged and downtrodden and has always come forward for charities in case of natural disasters,” said Tina Vachani, co-founder, Routes to Roots.

According to Rakesh Gupta, who is also with the NGO: “Indian students at the university would love to have the youth icon Shah Rukh to be a fellow alumni once he receives his doctorate.”