Bollywood diva Shilpa Shetty, who attained international fame with her success in a reality television show, is surprised at being chosen for an honorary doctorate by a leading UK university.

The 32-year-old, who became the youngest Indian actor to receive the honour from Leeds Metropolitan University, felt it was a “huge honour” to join the ranks of Yash Chopra, Amitabh Bachchan and Shabana Azmi.
“It came as a huge surprise to me as well. But I was really, really humbled and I accept it. I don’t know how to react,” she told CNN-IBN in London on being chosen for the honour for her outstanding contribution to cultural diversity.

The Mangalore-born actress said it is going to be a “life-long relationship” with the university, but at the moment she will prefer to bask in the glory.

“They bestowed this honour to me. So I have to act responsibly and I have tried my best to do my best in whatever I have done in my life and I am going to continue to do so,” she said.

Earlier, a university spokeswoman said that selecting Shilpa for the doctorate was part of its efforts to honour prominent Indian movie personalities who contributed to the country’s emergence as a fast developing cinema-proud nation.