Madras University has bestowed a PhD degree to Congress chief Edvige Antonia Albina Maino alias Sonia Gandhi. Interestingly, universities in Tamil Nadu are known to vest PhD degrees not only to political leaders but to film stars too. The honorary degree to Sonia has been given to felicitate her life and contribution to India and its people.

 

Commenting on the policy of the university on the conferment of PhD, VC of the University Prof S Ramachandran said that they have a policy to honour leaders on occasions like Golden Jubilee, Centenary etc. even if receivers have doctorates already. Some have even 40 doctorates. Justifying the tradition he said that education does not have co-relation to intelligence.

 

Adding to his argument he said that many leaders may not have had much formal education, but they have achieved a lot for society. Interestingly, allegedly, Sonia Gandhi was in controversy for filling bogus information in Parliamentary elections form that she got her education from Cambridge University. On the other hand, the 150 year old Madras University so far has conferred more than 400 honorary doctorates to various personalities.