LONDON: Renowned Pakistani singer Rahat Fateh Ali Khan has been conferred with an honourary degree by the University of Oxford.
Khan was among eight other individuals who received their honorary degrees at the ceremony.
Here to the world and all the well wishers of #UstadRahatFatehAliKhan Presenting Dr Rahat Fateh Ali Khan@UniofOxford pic.twitter.com/JrxXSd9IrP
— Rahat Fateh Ali Khan (@RFAKWorld) June 26, 2019
The renowned singer, before being conferred with the degree, also attended a talk alongside Pakistani education activist Malala Yousafzai about representing Pakistan in music globally.
Earlier, while announcing that Khan would be awarded an honourary degree, the Oxford University had described him as a “Pakistani singer, primarily of Qawwali, a devotional music of the Muslim Sufis”.
“Born into a family whose name has become synonymous with South Asian musical tradition, he began formal training at the age of seven and has since released more than 50 albums, performed in numerous high-profile concerts across the world and amassed a global following, achieving over one billion views online,” the varsity had said in a statement.
#UstadRahatFatehAliKhan at Chancellor's Dinner Ceremony – @UniofOxford pic.twitter.com/aNgn28IsnZ
— Rahat Fateh Ali Khan (@RFAKWorld) June 26, 2019
“Rahat Ali Khan has sung more than 50 title tracks of television serials and over 100 film songs in both Hollywood and Bollywood.”
In 2017, Oxford had also named a rehearsal hall after him — the Ustad Rahat Fateh Ali Khan Music Room. That was the first time that a South Asian artiste received such an honour.
