Actress Jaya Prada conferred Doctorate in Arts & Culture, by Desh Bhagat University

Actress and politician Jaya Prada added another feather to her cap, in the form of a Doctorate in Arts & Culture. The gorgeous and talented actress has to her credit block-buster Hindi movies like Sharaabi, Sargam, Sanjog, and Kaamchor among others. Jaya Prada has acted in over 300 films in Hindi, Telagu, Tamil, Malayalam, Marathi, Kannada, Bengali and English languages.

The beautiful actor who started acting in films from the young age of 13 years received the Honoris Causa Degree of Doctorate in Arts and Culture from Desh Bhagat University, Punjab. Dr. Jaya Prada is a commerce graduate and has been actively involved in the field of education through her charitable Trust. She is the founder of Jaya Prada Charitable Trust, Jaya Prada Educational Society and Nishtha Foundation. It is her firm belief in the power of education that spurred her to setup the Neelaveni Krishna School of Nursing, Rampur in 2009. Her charitable trust has also provided skill based education to the youth of this country, in the form of computer education to over 15,000 students, Basic Teachers Training Courses, and Jaya Prada College of Law in year 2010.

Speaking about the doctorate, Jaya Prada says: “Today is a very happy and proud day for me that my contribution to the field of arts and culture has been recognised. The people of Punjab have loved me unconditionally over the years, and this is yet another instance of their love for me. People of Punjab have loved me as an actress, supported me as a politician, encouraged me as an artist and now honoured me for my contributions. I was conferred the Doctorate in the presence of over 1200 students, who are the future of this country. Through this recognition, I would like to tell the youth of this country, that education is the tool to strengthen us as individuals, and to take our country forward. Education provides us the stepping stone to take up careers of our choices as politicians, doctors, engineers and such. Education is the single levelling tool which makes no discrimination between girl or boy, and gives everyone the same opportunity to move ahead in life.”

Along with Dr. Jaya Prada, Sudhir Giri, Chancellor of Sri Venkateshwara University was also conferred the Doctorate in Education at the function. Inspired by the movement of Late Shri. N.T. Rama Rao, Dr. Jaya Prada had joined politics in 1994 at his invitation for the upliftment of poor, downtrodden, destitute and for the larger welfare of society. She became the Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha (1995-2002). In 2004, this daughter of Andhra Pradesh moved to Uttar Pradesh, contested and won Lok Sabha elections from Rampur constituency. She again won General Elections in 2009 from Rampur constituency and has worked tirelessly for the welfare of the masses.

Dr. Jaya Prada has been the Member, Committee of Industry, Committee on External Affairs, Committee on the Welfare of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes and Consultative Committee, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting during her tenure as Member of Rajya Sabha (1996-2002). During 2004-09 she has been Member, Committee on Information Technology, Committee on Empowerment of Women and Member, Parliamentary Forum on Water Conservation & Management. Since 2009, she was elected for second term as Member of Lok Sabha again from Rampur, and she is actively working as Member, Committee on Finance and Committee on Information and Broadcasting.

The actress has received four Filmfare Awards as Best Actress for her roles in Sargam(1979), Sharabi (1984), Sanjog(1985) and Sagar Sangaman. She has also been conferred Rajiv Gandhi award for her contribution to the field of cinema and Kala Saraswathi Award for her contribution to the field of art. After her hiatus from the movie industry, Dr. Jaya Prada will be shortly making her comeback to the silver screen though a Malayalam movie.