Punjab govt to install chair dedicated to Guru Nanak Dev in 11 universities

In a bid to mark the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev, Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Sunday announced that the state government will install a chair in the name of the first Guru in the premises of 11 universities.

The Chief Minister made the announcement at a function at the Punjab Technical University here, in the presence of officials from all the 11 universities, seven of which are in Punjab, three spread across India and one in Iran.

"The event was held to honour and award 400 Nanak Nam Leva prominent Punjabis from around the world for their remarkable contribution in various fields. Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh expressed happiness at seeing Punjabis making the state and the country proud with their achievements," an official statement said.

Singh also exhorted Punjabis to remember their roots at all times and join his government in helping revive the state and create opportunities for the progress of its youth, who had the power and the inclination to work but lacked opportunities here at present.

"Let us all join hands to give them those opportunities. A real Sikh would always listen to the ba of the Guru," the statement quoted Singh as saying.

"Seeking their help in rebuilding Punjab, the Chief Minister asked the prominent Punjabi personalities from around the world to become a part of the campaign to work together to restore the state, which had suffered a double partition, to its pristine glory. He pointed to the depleting groundwater table to warn that, as per assessments, Punjab was likely to turn into a desert in the next 25 years," it added.

Singh said that the real tribute to Guru Nanak Dev will be to preserve our natural resources for future generations and to make Punjab a clean, green and pollution-free state.

Among the universities where the Chairs will be installed are Punjabi University in Patiala, IK Gujral PTU Jalandhar-Kapurthala, Maharaja Ranjit Singh Punjab Technical University in Bathinda, Lovely Professional University in Phagwara, Chandigarh University in Gharuan, Chitkara University Rajpura, Akal University, Talwandi Sabo besides ITM University in MP's Gwalior, RDKF University in MP's Bhopal, JIS University in West Bengal and University of Religion in Iran.

( With inputs from ANI )