After doctorate in Leeds, Shilpa to receive Rajiv Gandhi Award

New Delhi, July 30 (UNI) Bollywood actor Shilpa Shetty's tryst with the limelight, after her 'Big Brother' triumph, continues! After receiving an honorary doctorate from Leeds Metropolitan University in the United Kingdom, Dr Shilpa Shetty has been chosen for the 'Rajiv Gandhi National Quality Award', Shilpa's' spokesperson and publicist Dale Bhagwagar said.

Shilpa will recieve the award at a grand ceremony to be held on August 12 at the National Center for the Performing Arts (NCPA), Mumbai, Dale said.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, leader of the Congress Sonia Gandhi, Union Minister of External Affairs Pranab Mukherjee , and Chief Minister of Maharashtra Vilasrao Deshmukh are expected to grace the occasion.

''To be a worldwide achiever at such a young age; bestowed with flattering accolades, is a matter of utmost prestige for Shilpa. She is extremely grateful to be chosen for this honour,''he said.

Instituted by the Bureau of Indian Standards in 1991, with the approval of the Union Government, the 'Rajiv Gandhi National Quality Award' aims at encouraging Indian manufacturing and service organizations to strive for excellence and giving special recognition to those who are considered to be the leaders of the quality movement in India.

The award has been named after late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, recognizing the new thrust he had given to the quality movement in India so that India could move into the 21st Century with pride.

It has been designed in line with similar awards in other developed countries, like the 'Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award' in the US, the 'Deming Prize' in Japan and the 'European Quality Award'.

Earlier recipients of the award include eminent personalities like Mukesh Ambani, Kumar Mangalam Birla , Adi Godrej, Anand Mahindra, Sunil Mittal, Kiran Mazumdar Shaw, Sant Singh Chatwal, Shah Rukh Khan, Tarun Tejpal, Rajdeep Sardesai, Sania Mirza and Sachin Tendulkar.

UNI