The Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) founder was conferred the honorary doctorate by the Centurion University of Technology and Management, which plays an important role in training tribals and Naxalites in various skills.
Speaking to reporters after the event, Haasan thanked Patnaik for having presented him with the degree and said Odisha was a model state from which his party and Tamil Nadu could learn a lot of things.
"I am very honoured to get an honorary degree which is being given for the first time from the university. I think Odisha is a model state from which we are trying to learn many things in order to develop Tamil Nadu. I thank Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik for taking out his time to honour me and my relatively new Makkal Needhi Maiam party," Kamal Haasan told reporters.
While the prolific actor was present at the Centurion University campus, he inaugurated the Raaj Kamal Butterfly Garden. He also visited the students at the university's Skill Development Center to see the work and effort being put there.
Kamal Haasan was also given a tour of the Kalinga Hockey Stadium in Bhubaneswar by Odisha Sports secretary Vishal K. Dev and Director, R. Vineel Krishna. He has then presented the ISL team Odisha FC's Jersey by Arshdeep Singh of the team who plays as a goalkeeper.
The Indian hockey team has recently qualified for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and Kamal Haasan met the team along with the staff and was presented a signed jersey of the team by captain Manpreet Singh.
Text & Images: SIFY