Akshay Kumar will soon become a doctor courtesy the University of Windsor (Ontario), which will confer an honourary doctorate to the star on May 9 in Toronto, Canada.
And the Khildadi star has one person to thank for the honour.
The person in question is Ajay Virmani, Cargojet President, who himself received a similar degree from the University of Windsor. Virmani's involvement with Bollywood stars goes way back; in fact, Akki calls him 'uncle'. Virmani has also financed Deepa Mehta's Water.
"Akshay helped raise half a million dollars three years ago for the Trillium Health Center in Mississauga," Virmani, who was the chairman of the fund raising committee, said.
According to Virmani, Akshay is a 'permanent resident of Canada' after the actor's application for a 'landed status' was approved. "He has been keeping his permanent visa since then," Virmani said.
All this -- raising funds for the Trillium Hospital and the fact that he's a landed immigrant -- probably led the University to grant the actor the honourary degree.
"After I got the honourary degree, I recommended Akshay's name," Virmani said. He added that he has been asked by the University to 'read the citation' and help the Chancellor to confer the degree on the actor.
Akshay will stay with Virmani after his arrival in Toronto tomorrow.