I am big believer of education says Shah Rukh Khan

 

By News Helpline, Mumbai - 27th February, 2020

Actor Shah Rukh Khan has said that he is a big believer of education. He added saying that for any country, family, city or a state, education is the only way forward and there is never an end to education.

Shah Rukh Khan was speaking at La Trobe University PhD Scholarship event on Wednesday in Mumbai.

Sharing his thoughts about importance of education, Khan said, “I am big believer of education. I truly believe that the way forward for any country, any family, any city or any state is by educating itself more and more. There is never an end to education. I have come to realize the more I know, I figure out the less I understand. It’s very important to keep educating ourselves for the rest of our lives. I have always believed education in India and elsewhere in the world is the most important step forward for any nation. It is also important to educate and empowering women to look after themselves and their families. I always believe that women are extremely and much more conscientious than men. If you are able to empower them with education, the world goes even further forward.”

Shah Rukh Khan presented the first Shah Rukh Khan La Trobe University PhD Scholarship to Gopika Kottantharayil Bhasi, a young researcher from Kerala at the event. Her work focuses on farming practices through animal science, ecology and molecular studies.

Khan praised Gopika for her achievements, he said, “The evening is really about Gopika and her family. She has been doing research elephants in India and Asia. I not tried to even understand what she is doing. She is doing a PhD is what is very important. I wish her the best. I hope that people get this opportunity. I am would like thank and congratulate her family for educating her so much. I am hopeful that she makes her family even prouder. Insha allah, she is going there to study and pursue her PhD from elephants to beasts. I have told her to do whatever she feels like and make the world better place to live in. I am sure Insha allah, she will do it. It’s an honour for me to lend my name attached to the scholarship but the biggest honour is that Gopika is the first recipient and we are thankful to her for that. It is extremely nice initiative. It is way beyond festivities, happiness and cinema.”  

Talking about his experience shooting in Australia, Khan said, “The Indian Film Festival in Melbourne is fantastic. I attended it in August and it was really nice. People of Melbourne are very warm and hospitable. I got to watch really nice films and meet interesting people over there. As far as the state of Victoria is concerned and shooting in Melbourne is concerned, I shot there for a long period for ‘Chak De! India’. It is one of the nicest places to shoot. Apart from the professionalism, I think at a personal level, the people in Melbourne and Victoria are wonderful and film friendly. Now, we are getting 3 million dollars (subsidy) to go and shoot there so, we are thankful for arranging this benefits for Indian films. I would just like to mention that just don’t include big films and may be the smaller and medium budget films need it more.”

Talking about La Trobe university and its campus, Khan said, “I have been to universities all around the world. And just at the psychical part of it, I think it’s an extremely beautiful state. Gopika you are going to be very happy going and studying there. It has such a beautiful and large campus. I know it was put up for me when I gone there but may be a permanent structure can be put up for having live concerts of Shah Rukh Khan. I am really grateful to whole team who are here. All of them were extremely kind to me. It’s not about the film world. It goes beyond that when a fantastic university and an institution like La Trobe decided to take out time, set up a panel of people who will give an opportunity to Indian students to come down and further their education. I won’t say anymore because the evening is not about us.”

The award was created in Shah Rukh Khan’s name last year after he was conferred with an honorary degree by the Australian university. The four-year scholarship programme is granted to female Indian candidates for research in health, sport, information technology, cyber security or engineering. The recipient is entitled to receive a sum of 200,000 Aus dollars.