The Alliance University conferred the Honorary Doctor of Philosophy degree to the 2014 Nobel Laureate Mr. Kailash Satyarthi (Founder, Baal Bachao Andolan and Chairperson, Global March Against Child Labour) and Padma Bhushan Smt. Rajashree Birla (Chairperson, The Aditya Birla Center for Community Initiatives and Rural Development) for their exemplary contribution to the society. The Convocation of the University for the Conferment of Degrees, Diplomas and Certificates on the successful candidates was held on Saturday, December 20, 2014 at the University Central Campus, Anekal, Bengaluru.

Mr. Kailash Satyarthi

2014 Nobel Laureate Mr. Kailash Satyarthi is a children's rights advocate and an activist against child labour. He founded the Bachpan Bachao Andolan in 1980 and has acted to protect the rights of more than 83,000 children from 144 countries. He is also the Chairperson of the Global March Against Child Labour and its international advocacy body, the International Center on Child Labor and Education. His work is recognized through various national and international honours and awards including the Nobel Peace Prize of 2014, which he shared with Malala Yousafzai.

Smt. Rajashree Birla

Padma Bhushan Smt. Rajashree Birla has done exemplary work in the area of community initiatives and rural development. She spearheads the Aditya Birla Centre for Community Initiatives and Rural Development, the Birla Group’s apex body responsible for developmental projects.

Smt Birla oversees the Group’s social and welfare driven work across 40 companies. The Center’s work touches seven million people and the footprint straddles over 3,000 villages. The Aditya Birla Group runs 18 hospitals and 42 schools. Thousands of people receive free treatment at these hospitals. Of the 42,000 children studying at the Aditya Birla Schools, 18,000 students belong to the underprivileged communities.