Preity Zinta at the University of East London receiving an Honorary Doctorate

Preity Zinta in recognition of your outstanding contributions for the arts world for your tireless work as a humanitarian it gives me the greatest pleasure to ask the vice-chancellor to confer on you the honorary Doctor of Arts on this causa [Applause] I got thrown vice-chancellor distinguished guests ladies and gentlemen it's an honor and a pleasure for me to be here today I must say I have never been more embarrassed than seeing a navy of mine under circumstances like these I'm also extremely humbled to be receiving this degree with two really distinguished personalities I think whatever I

wanted to say you said it all so I'm going to keep it really brief when I was a little girl my father always told me that an Indian woman when she's young she's dependent on her father when she's married she's dependent on her husband and when she's a child or when she is old she is dependent on her son and I don't want you to be like that I want you to have independence I want you to be the master of your destiny and I and the only way you can do that is if you

are educated and you can stand on your own two feet I was really lucky to have parents like this who gave me opportunities of a great education who let me do what I wanted so today when I'm standing on my own two feet I decided that I was going to work towards women's empowerment in India and for that I really have to thank the lumba foundation the United Nation for giving me enough for giving me an opportunity to give back to society and make a difference thank you you