Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty has added one more feather to her cap as the Leeds Metropolitan University in the United Kingdom conferred on her an honorary doctorate for her contribution to India's emergence as a fast-developing cinema-proud country.

Shetty, 32, became the youngest actor from the Indian film fraternity to join Amitabh Bachchan, Shabana Azmi and filmmaker Yash Chopra who have been conferred with the honour by Leeds Metropolitan University.

For Shetty, who received the honour on July 18, it was a dream come true. "My parents always wanted to me to be a graduate and today it has been realised. I'm extremely humbled and honoured," said the actress who has starred in over 50 films.

Shilpa Shetty shot into international limelight after her victory in the controversial British reality TV show Big Brother on Channel 4, earlier this year. The show was marred by a huge row over racial slurs hurled against her by some of her housemates.