Delhi University’s Executive Council will convene a meeting on Friday to discuss the conferment of an honorary doctorate on Sri Lankan Prime Minister Dr Harini Amarasuriya. The special session, requested by the Ministry of External Affairs, is a crucial step towards formalising the honour during her upcoming visit to India.
The proposal stems from a formal request made by Puneet Agrawal, Additional Secretary of the Ministry of External Affairs.
The Ministry of Education has also directed the university to organise a special convocation ceremony for the event, a move that has received the green light from the Prime Minister’s Office. The university’s registrar has issued a notice urging all members of the Executive Council to attend the meeting. The proposal has already been approved by the DU academic council; further, the final decision will be taken at the Executive Council meeting scheduled for tomorrow.
The university is being asked to act swiftly to approve the doctorate under Statute 16 of its regulations. This expedited process highlights the diplomatic importance of the gesture, underscoring the strong bilateral ties between India and Sri Lanka and the special recognition being extended to the visiting leader.
Dr Harini Amarasuriya is also a former student of Delhi University. She completed her undergraduate degree in sociology at Hindu College, Delhi University, through an MEA-sponsored scholarship in 1991-1994.