Harbhajan Singh awarded with honorary doctorate in sports by a French university

Harbhajan Singh, a veteran India spinner, was recently awarded an honorary PhD in sports by a French university in a convocation ceremony held on campus, but the off-spinner was unable to attend due to his involvement in the ongoing IPL 2021 in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), where he plays for the Kolkata Knight Riders.

Harbhajan Singh was released ahead of the IPL 2018 auction after ten years with the Mumbai Indians, where he captained the team in the first Indian Premier League season in 2008 and won the IPL three times.

The veteran spinner was purchased by the Chennai Super Kings (CSK), and he won another IPL triumph with the MS Dhoni-led side in 2018. He also played in the IPL 2019 for CSK, but was released by the Chennai franchise after skipping the IPL 2020, which was held in the UAE owing to the COVID crisis in India.

While many believed the Turbanator’s career was over, the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) placed an offer for him in the IPL 2021 auction. Harbhajan Singh, on the other hand, has only appeared in three matches for the franchise, all of which were in the India leg of the competition, and has taken zero wickets.

Harbhajan Singh will get an honorary PhD in Sports from the Ecole Superieure Robert de Sorbon in France, according to a recent announcement. The university bestows honorary doctorates on notable people from all walks of life, including those who have made significant contributions in sports.

“You accept respect from any institution with the utmost humility. If the university has awarded me an honorary sports doctorate, it is because I played cricket, for which people have shown their respect and affection. Harbhajan, 41, stated, “I am honoured to be presented with the degree.”