MUMBAI: Lead singer of pop group Pussycat Dolls, Nicole Scherzinger has been honoured with the Artist of the Year prize by Harvard University at their 28th annual Cultural Rhythms festival.

The pop singer received the honour in recognition of her music career and philanthropic efforts for women and those with special needs. Past recipients of the award include Jackie Chan, Matt Damon, Salma Hayek, Shakira, and Will Smith.

Harvard Foundation director S Allen Counter said, “Her contributions to the performing arts, as well as her support for breast cancer research and initiatives for adults and children with special needs, are commendable and set an excellent example for our students.”

The artist tribute featured the Harvard University Band serenading Scherzinger with ‘10,000 Men of Harvard’. It was followed by the comedic group Immediate Gratification Players performing a spoof on her short-lived show ‘The Pussycat Dolls Present: The Search for the Next Doll’. The Hawaii Club also performed a traditional song and dance that honored her Hawaiian-Filipino descent.

Scherzinger also posted pictures of the event on her Twitter account and posted, “What an inspiration for women!”

The singer later introduced the student groups and interviewed members after the performances, and was then presented with the Harvard Foundation Medal and a Harvard sweatshirt. She also sang ‘Happy Birthday’ in operatic Italian for one of the student performers.