Introduction
India has always been a land of quiet greatness. From community teachers and spiritual healers to rural innovators and grassroots leaders, the country is filled with individuals who serve selflessly. Yet, when one of them is recognised with an honorary title — especially from a digital university — what often follows isn’t applause. It’s suspicion.
“Is this real?”
“Did he buy it?”
“Why does she call herself Doctor?”
Instead of celebrating the person’s journey, society too often questions the recognition.
It’s time to flip the narrative. Let’s stop doubting and start honouring. Let’s understand what honorary titles actually mean — and why they’re essential in today’s India.
The Habit of Doubting Recognition
We live in a time where misinformation spreads faster than facts. When someone receives an honorary doctorate, people tend to:
- Search for a scandal instead of a story
- Assume “digital” means “fake”
- Forget to ask what the person actually did to be recognised
This attitude is not only unfair — it’s harmful. It silences genuine contributors who don’t come from elite circles but have still made meaningful impact.
Honorary = Honoured, Not Academic
An honorary doctorate is not a degree for study. It’s a recognition, a title awarded for a person’s life work, service, or societal contribution.
It should not be compared to academic PhDs. Rather, it exists in a separate category — as a mark of public respect.
Using “Dr (Honorary)” is completely valid when:
- The awarding platform is legitimate
- The title is clearly marked as honorary
- The recipient doesn’t misuse it in academic settings
Many respected universities across the world, including digital ones, follow these principles.
Unsung Heroes Deserve to Be Seen
Many of the people receiving honorary titles today are:
- Rural teachers who’ve taught for 30 years without recognition
- Women who run free health clinics in tribal areas
- Environmentalists protecting local water bodies
- Coaches training village athletes with no government support
- Social workers rehabilitating abandoned children
These individuals rarely chase fame. When someone finally honours them, we should feel proud — not doubtful.
Digital Platforms Have Made Recognition Possible
Platforms like Cambridge Digital University and Euro Asian University are helping fill a long-standing gap. Their digital structure allows them to:
- Honour contributors from anywhere, not just cities
- Host convocations without travel burden
- Accept nominations from communities
- Offer affordable, transparent recognition processes
- Build databases of real contributors
This is not commercialisation — it’s democratisation.
Not everyone can travel to Delhi. Not everyone can write academic papers. But everyone deserves recognition when their work speaks for itself.
Fees Are for Process, Not Purchase
Honorary recognitions from serious institutions involve modest processing charges. This is to:
- Handle documentation and verification
- Issue digital and physical certificates
- Organise dignified convocations
- Maintain record-keeping systems
The fee does not buy the award — it supports the structure.
Just like paying for a passport doesn’t mean you bought citizenship, paying a processing fee doesn’t mean the honor was fake.
Why Suspicion Hurts the Wrong People
The victims of public doubt are usually:
- Elderly educators
- Spiritual workers
- Community volunteers
- Self-made professionals
- Widows or retired individuals who served quietly
Instead of being celebrated by their society, they are often made to defend their worth — simply because the recognition came through a digital or lesser-known university.
This needs to stop.
Trust the Journey, Then Respect the Title
Before doubting, ask:
- What did this person do for their community?
- Who nominated them?
- Did the recognition come with proper citation or ceremony?
- Has the title been used respectfully and honestly?
If the answers are sincere, then the title is deserved.
Whether it’s honorary, digital, or given by a university without a 100-year legacy, the title is still an honour — not a trick.
Society Must Shift From Gatekeeping to Gratitude
Our role, as citizens, families, and peers, is not to decide who “deserves” to be called Doctor. It is to listen, verify, and celebrate.
Ask yourself:
- Would you rather applaud someone’s 25 years of selfless teaching… or ask if their award is “fake”?
- Would you rather support someone who built 5 schools… or tell them their honorary title isn’t valid enough?
- Would you rather teach your children to aim for contribution… or only for credentials?
Suspicion narrows society. Celebration lifts it.
What Honorary Titles Really Do
When given properly, honorary titles:
- Validate decades of unrecognised service
- Encourage new leaders from humble backgrounds
- Increase self-worth in communities
- Strengthen cultural pride
- Create stories worth sharing
And when given digitally, they become even more inclusive, affordable, and timely.
Conclusion
Not every recognition is a scam. Not every honorary title is fake. And certainly not every person with “Dr (Honorary)” is trying to deceive anyone.
Let’s shift our thinking.
Instead of mocking or questioning those who receive digital honorary recognition, let’s listen to their stories. Let’s value the work they’ve done — even if it didn’t happen on television or in textbooks.
India’s greatness has always been built by its silent doers. It’s time we stop the suspicion and start the celebration.
Because when one of us is honoured, all of us rise.