Indian batting legend Rahul Dravid, knwown for his humility on and off the field, on Wednesday declined to accept an honorary doctorate degree offered by the Bangalore University, saying he "would try to earn it by accomplishing some form of academic research in the field of sport."
Dravid, former Team India captain and current coach of junior team, was to be conferred with an honorary doctorate by Bangalore University at its 52nd annual convocation on January 27.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the University said that Dravid had 'in all humility declined to accept the Hon. Degree'.
"He has conveyed that he would try to earn a Doctorate Degree by accomplishing some form of academic research in the field of sport rather than receiving an Honorary Degree," it stated.
Rahul, nicknamed ‘The Wall’ for his solid defensive batting technique, retired from international cricket in 2012 career that spanned a decade and a half. He has been mentoring young Indian players in recent times through his roles as coach of the India 'A' and U-19 teams.
Born on January 11, 1973 in Indore, Dravid grew up in Bengaluru and went to St Joseph’s Boys High School. He got a degree from the St Joseph’s College of Commerce and was pursuing MBA at the St Joseph’s College of Business Administration when he was called for the national team. He retired from international cricket in 2012 after a career that spanned a decade and a half.
