Oxford Univ to confer honorary degree to Montek

Deputy Chairman of Planning Commission Montek Singh Ahluwalia will be conferred the honorary degree of Doctor of Civil Law by his alma mater, the University of Oxford, on June 18.

Ahluwalia, 64, one of the architects of India's economic reforms along with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Finance minister P Chidambaram, gained MA and MPhil degrees as a Rhodes Scholar from the university.

During his time at the university, Ahluwalia was also elected president of the famous debating society, the Oxford Union.

Manmohan Singh was conferred the same honorary degree at Oxford on 8 July 2005.

"Montek has been extensively involved in India's economic reforms as Commerce Secretary and in posts at the Ministry of Finance and Department of Economic Affairs," a statement released by University said.

Ahluwalia's published work includes papers in professional journals and contributions to books.

The university that announced the list of six people including Montek to be honoured on the June 18 ceremony are Thomas Nagel, Bert Sakmann, Sheila Evans Widnall, Ada Yonath and Carolyn Emma Kirkby.