The Sathyabhama deemed university conferred the doctorate on Kamalhassan at the audio launch of Vasool Raja MBBS. The university senate chairman Jeppiar announced this at a function held to release the audiocassettes of the film. He said that his mentor MGR was conferred the doctorate in the same University Centenary auditorium and now the university named after the mother of MGR was conferring the doctorate. He said that the senate, which included persons like T N Seshan, had unanimously recommended the actor’s name. He pleaded to the actor to accept the doctorate and appealed to the dignitaries on the dais and the fans to compel Kamalhassan to accept the honor.

Kamalhassan accepting the honor said it was an honor conferred on his fans too who were working as social service workers. He said that his commitment and responsibility to his work and society at large had increased manifold.