Malayalam cinema legend Mammootty has been awarded an honorary Doctor of Letters (D.Litt.) by Mahatma Gandhi University in recognition of his remarkable contribution to Indian cinema over a career spanning more than five decades.

The honour was presented by Rajendra Arlekar during the university’s convocation ceremony held in Kottayam on Sunday. The event was attended by senior university officials, members of the academic council and Higher Education Minister Roji M. John.

Soon after receiving the honorary doctorate, the Kalamkaval actor shared an emotional note on social media expressing gratitude for the recognition. “Humbled to have received the Honorary D.Litt. from Mahatma Gandhi University today, presented by the Honourable Governor of Kerala. My gratitude to each and every one of you who stood by my side throughout this memorable journey,” the actor wrote.

The university acknowledged Mammootty’s enduring influence on Indian cinema and his body of work across several languages, including Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Hindi. Over the years, the actor has built a reputation for portraying a wide range of memorable characters, earning acclaim both within the industry and among audiences across generations.

This is the third honorary doctorate received by the veteran actor. He had earlier been conferred similar honours by the University of Calicut and the University of Kerala in 2010.

Widely regarded as one of the most celebrated actors in Indian cinema, Mammootty has appeared in more than 400 films during his illustrious career. He is a recipient of several prestigious honours, including multiple National Film Awards, Kerala State Film Awards, the Padma Shri and the Padma Bhushan.

Alongside Mammootty, noted nadaswaram artiste Thiruvizha Jayashankar was also awarded an honorary D.Litt., while vascular surgeon N Radhakrishnan received the Doctor of Science (D.Sc.) degree during the ceremony.

Mammootty was last seen in Mahesh Narayanan’s spy thriller Patriot, alongside Mohanlal, Fahadh Faasil, Kunchacko Boban and Nayanthara. Up next, the Bramayugam actor has multiple films in various stages of production, including Adoor Gopalakrishnan’s Padayaatra, Falimy director Nithish Sahadev’s next, and Khalid Rahman’s Mattancherry Mafia, co-starring Naslen and Asif Ali. Additionally, Mammootty is also returning to Tamil with Amaran director Rajkumar Periasamy’s next, led by Dhanush.