Honorary award for author and journalist

The author of The Boy with the Top Knot was presented with an Honorary Degree of Doctor of Letters at a ceremony yesterday (Tuesday, 8 September 2009).

The award was made in recognition of Sathnam’s contribution to journalism, for which he has received numerous awards

Sathnam gave a speech at the ceremony at Wolverhampton Grand Theatre, in which he offered advice to graduates who were receiving their degrees yesterday.

He said: “The hardest thing in life is to work out what you want to do. Once you have worked that out, it is relatively easy to do.”

Sathnam also thanked his family, who attended the ceremony. “The fact that I am here is a reflection of my family’s love and support so thank you to them,” he added.

Sathnam Sanghera was born to Punjabi parents in the West Midlands in 1976 and attended Wolverhampton Grammar School and Christ’s College, Cambridge.

His first book, The Boy with the Topknot: A Memoir of Love, Secrets and Lies in Wolverhampton, was shortlisted for the 2008 Costa Biography Award and the 2009 Mind Book of the Year.

Sathnam worked as a news reporter at The Financial Times in the UK and US between 1998 and 2006, before joining The Times in 2007. His Times 2 column appears on Tuesdays.

Awards for his journalism include Article of the Year 2005 Management Today Writing Awards, Newspaper Feature of the Year in the 2005 Workworld Media Awards, HR Journalist of the Year in the 2006 and 2009 Watson Wyatt Awards for Excellence and the accolade of Young Journalist of the Year at the British Press Awards in 2002.

The University of Wolverhampton is holding graduation ceremonies for students and honorary award recipients throughout this week.

Further information

For more information please contact Vickie Woodward in the Media Relations Office on 01902 322736