At
an
inspiring
and
solemn
graduation
ceremony
befitting
the
University
of
London,
Mr.
Yash
Chopra
was
awarded
an
honorary
higher
doctoral
degree,
a
DLit,
a
Doctor
of
Letters
honoris
causa,
for
having
made
an
outstanding
contribution
to
the
field
of
cinema
in
his
six
decades
of
work
in
the
Hindi
film
industry,
by
the
School
of
Oriental
and
African
Studies
(SOAS).
The
function
held
on
Friday,
23rd
July
2010,
opened
with
an
impressive
procession,
which
included
Heads
of
Departments,
Senior
Management
and
the
Presidents
of
the
Students'
Union,
entering
the
Hall
to
a
musical
accompaniment.
The
Director
and
Principal
of
SOAS,
Professor
Paul
Webley
and
The
President
of
SOAS,
Baroness
Helena
Kennedy
QC,
welcomed
the
graduates
and
their
guests.
One
of
the
highlight
of
the
ceremony
was
the
Presentation
of
an
honorary
doctorate
to
Mr.
Yash
Chopra.
Professor
Rachel
Dwyer,
the
public
orator,
read
a
citation
in
tribute
to
Mr.
Chopra
and
the
President,
Baroness
Helena
Kennedy
QC,
presented
the
degree.
Mr.
Yash
Chopra's
career
and
his
work
was
compared
with
the
greats
of
the
Indian
film
industry.
Professor
Dwyer
said
that
his
films
use
a
melodramatic
form
to
show
emotions
at
their
deepest
and
rawest
and
that
the
dialogues
and
the
song
lyrics
of
Yash
Chopra's
films
are
remembered
and
recited
almost
as
mantras,
as
they
describe
things
that
are
hard
to
say,
using
language,
imagery
and
music
in
a
perfect
balance.
She
pointed
out
that
Yash
Chopra
continues
to
innovate
with
every
film
he
makes
and
remains
young
at
heart,
always
interested
in
how
people
think,
feel
and
behave.
Mr.
Yash
Chopra's
love
of
London
and
his
connections
with
SOAS,
one
of
the
first
universities
to
offer
a
course
in
mainstream
Indian
cinema,
began
in
1992.
Professor
Dwyer
further
said
the
graduates
should
be
inspired
by
Mr.
Yash
Chopra's
success,
learn
his
dedication,
hard
work,
focus
and
his
ways
of
rising
above
failure,
saying
that
his
films
have
brightened
the
lives
of
people
from
the
poorest
to
the
richest,
from
heads
of
states
to
humble
people.
He
has
been
honoured
by
royalty,
presidents
and
prime
ministers
and
this
DLit
was
a
mark
of
the
esteem
in
which
the
academic
community
of
professors
and
students
holds
him.
Mr.
Chopra
in
his
response
said,
"I
am
humbled
by
this
honour
and
would
like
to
thank
SOAS
for
this
recognition.
My
filmmaking
has
always
been
from
the
heart
and
I
would
like
to
pass
on
this
same
message
to
students
all
over
the
world".
Mr.
Yash
Chopra
has
previously
been
conferred
with
an
Honorary
Doctorate
by
The
Leeds
Metropolitan
University,
UK
in
2007,
The
Punjab
University,
Chandigarh,
India,
in
2008
and
The
Guru
Nanak
University,
Amritsar,
India,
in
2004,
in
recognition
of
his
outstanding
contribution
to
Indian
cinema.