2 min readNew DelhiJul 24, 2026 01:12 PM IST
The University of York conferred honorary degrees on N R Narayana Murthy, founder of Infosys, and Karan Bilimoria, an entrepreneur and a Crossbench member of the UK House of Lords, during its Summer 2026 graduation ceremonies.
The university said the honours recognise their contributions to business, entrepreneurship and society, and their impact in the United Kingdom and globally. The honorary degrees were awarded as part of the university’s annual graduation ceremonies, where individuals from different fields are recognised for their achievements and public service.
Murthy is widely regarded as one of the pioneers of India’s information technology industry. As the founder of Infosys, he played a key role in building India’s global IT services sector and is known for his work in corporate governance, ethical leadership and innovation.
Bilimoria is the founder of Cobra Beer and has been associated with entrepreneurship, higher education and UK-India relations. Alongside his business career, he serves as a Crossbench member of the UK House of Lords and has held leadership positions at several academic and business organisations, the university said in its statement.
Commenting on the honours, Professor Lindsay Oades, Provost of the University of York Mumbai, said the two recipients exemplify leadership, innovation and public service, adding that their achievements reflect the values the university aims to instil in its students.
The Summer 2026 graduation ceremonies also recognised several other individuals with honorary degrees. They included Nadeem Shah, an entrepreneur and philanthropist; Evan Davis, a British journalist and broadcaster; Francesca Horsfield DL, a public servant and community leader; Dr Nancy R. Irwin, a clinical psychologist and author; Suranne Jones, an award-winning British actor; Professor Baroness Katherine Willis CBE FRS, an environmental scientist and former Principal of St Edmund Hall, University of Oxford; along with Murthy and Bilimoria.
The University of York confers honorary degrees each year on individuals nominated by members of its community in recognition of contributions across fields including education, business, science, the arts, public service and social impact. The Summer 2026 ceremonies celebrated graduating students while also recognising individuals whose work has had a lasting impact across industries and communities.