Jamia Millia Islamia, a New Delhi-based Islamic university, is holding a special convocation on Friday to confer an honorary Doctor of Letters degree (Honoris Causa) to United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. The UN chief will arrive in India on Thursday for a four-day official visit.
The newly appointed chancellor of Jamia Millia Islamia Lieutenant General M A Zaki (retired) will confer the degree on Ban Ki-moon, while the university's vice-chancellor Najeeb Jung will present him with a citation.
Ban Ki-moon, UN's eighth secretary-general, has been a career diplomat. His first overseas posting was in New Delhi, where he served as vice consul and impressed
many of his superiors in the foreign ministry with his competence.
This is his third visit to India after he took over as the head of the world body in 2007. Apart from Delhi, he will be also visiting Mumbai. His engagements in Delhi include meetings with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, External Affairs Minister SM Krishna, Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar and Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad on a range of issues, including UN reforms and the situation in the region.
In Mumbai, he will meet Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan as well as a small group of key business leaders committed to utilising their expertise to promote the health of women and children.