Hyderabad: Thespian Dilip Kumar will be conferred with honorary doctorate by Maulana Azad National Urdu University here next month.

Kumar, one of the greatest actors of Indian cinema, will be conferred the honour at the annual convocation of the university to be held on Feb 21.

India's former ambassador to the United States Abid Hussain, eminent Urdu writer and scholar Gopi Chand Narang and well-known Urdu novelist Jeelani Bano will also receive the honorary degrees, said a statement issued by the university here Tuesday.

Sukhadeo Thorat, Chairman, University Grants Commission will be the chief guest and will deliver the convocation address while Syeda Saiyidain Hameed, the chancellor of Urdu University will preside over the convocation.

The Urdu University was established in 1998 by an act of parliament as a central university to promote and develop the Urdu language, provide higher, technical and vocational education in the Urdu medium and to provide focus on women's education.