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ShareChandigarh: Prime minister Manmohan Singh was conferred with a doctorate (honoris causa) in law by the Punjab University, his alma mater where he returned today more than half a century after a stint there as a faculty member.
The honour was conferred upon Singh by Panjab University vice chancellor RC Sobti at a special convocation held here this evening for the purpose.
"It is always a pleasure to visit one's alma-mater and I am delighted to be here with you today," the prime minister said addressing the gathering on the occasion. He said he should be forgiven if he became a little emotional as he had spent some of the best years of his life at the university as a student and later as a faculty member.
Singh said he was "deeply indebted" to the university as the education he received there played a major part in whatever he achieved later in life. "It is with great humility that I have received today's recognition. It is an honour that I will always cherish," he said.
Showering praise over the university from where he did his post-graduation in economics in 1954 and soon became one of its faculty members at the age of 32, Singh said that the institution had a long tradition of pursuing excellence in teaching and research in different disciplines and he was proud to be associated with it.
"For more than a century, it has served society with great distinction," he said.Promising to look into the financial constraints faced by the university, the Prime Minister said the faculty of the institution will not be allowed to suffer due to lack of funds.
Speaking at the convocation earlier, Sobti had said that the university was finding it difficult to pay the new UGC wages to its faculty.
