Announcing this at a press conference held today, Vice-Chancellor Dr Arun Nigavekar said the award will carry a momento and a citation. The management council of the varsity took the decision to institute the award in its meeting held on January 4, as the members mooted the idea of felicitating renowned personalities as only limited number of persons could be awarded D Litt degree every year.

Giving details of today's business at the management council, Nigavekar said that it was decided to hold the ceremonial meeting of the management council at the varsity's erstwhile location - the Nizam House at Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute on February 9 at 11.30 am.

The meeting, open to the press for the first time, will have two eminent personalities as special invitee S V Kogekar - member of varsity's first management council and noted Indologist R N Dandekar. ``It will be sort of a historic moment to hold the council's meeting at a place where the varsity once operated 50 years ago'', said Nigavekar.

As a part of the main agenda of the meeting, the entire blueprint of University of Pune's participation in the `Quality education through information pathway' as regards the varsity's selection for the Vidyavahini network proposed by the Prime Minister, will be disclosed before the council for its approval.

Meanwhile, curtains will come down on the varsity's year-long golden jubilee celebrations on February 10 with the unveiling of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj's Statue in the varsity campus at the hands of Chancellor and Governor P C Alexander.

Chief Minister Manohar Joshi and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Sharad Pawar will be the chief guests on the occasion.