London: NRI entrepreneur Lord Karan Bilimoria, who is the founder chairman of Cobra Beer, has been awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of West London (UWL) in recognition of his contributions to the education and business sectors.
"I am deeply humbled and honoured. Any honorary doctorate is special but, with the University of West London, the links are so deep for me that this really is an incredible tribute," Lord Bilimoria said.
The UWL award, his sixth honorary doctorate, is in recognition of Lord Bilimoria's five year service to the UWL?s predecessor, Thames Valley University, as Chancellor and his contribution to British business.
Cobra Beer also plays host to the University's 'curry college', at which the traditional Indian cuisine that inspired Lord Bilimoria to develop Cobra is taught to aspiring chefs.
"Although the University of West London has a history of over 150 years, it is a truly modern university, combining both further and higher education, and is one of Britain's most diverse universities, reflecting the diversity of London itself, one of the world's great cities.
"British universities, alongside those in America, are the best in the world, and the centres of excellence within UWL the London School of Hospitality and the London Colleges of Nursing and of Music are proof positive of this," Lord Bilimoria said.
Born in Hyderabad, India, Lord Bilimoria is an honorary fellow of Sidney Sussex College Cambridge, and a member of the advisory board of the University of Cambridge's Judge Business School, the Birmingham Business School and the Cranfield School of Management.
He was appointed to the House of Lords in 2006 as an Independent Crossbench Peer, and is the first Zoroastrian Parsi to sit in the House. He is also President of the UK-India Business Council, and a member of the Prime Minister of India's Global Advisory Council.
PTI
First Published: Tuesday, December 04, 2012, 12:00