Haryana’s rich heritage, modern growth key to Viksit Bharat@2047: MDU VC

Rohtak, November 1, 2026: Haryana is not merely a state but the centre of India’s ancient civilisation, with a rich cultural heritage and a glorious history. Its contributions to agriculture, sports, defence, education and science have been significant, and the state will play a key role in realising the vision of Viksit Bharat@2047, said Maharshi Dayanand University (MDU) Vice-Chancellor Prof. Milap Punia on Sunday.

He was speaking at a Haryana Day celebration organised at the university’s Vivekananda Library, where he inaugurated an exhibition of books showcasing the state’s history, culture, folk arts, military heritage, literature, freedom fighters and eminent personalities. He stressed the need to nurture a reading culture across university campuses and the wider community.

A round-table discussion on ‘Haryana: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow – Heritage, Transformation and Vision for Tomorrow’ was also organised. Presiding over the session, Prof. Punia said Haryana represented a unique blend of ancient civilisation and modern development. The land associated with the Mahabharata had witnessed rapid economic growth driven by agriculture and industry.

He also flagged key challenges, including gender equality, inclusive education, sustainability, groundwater depletion and climate change, calling for a forward-looking approach to address them.

Registrar Prof. Sandeep Bansal extended Haryana Day greetings and wished prosperity and well-being for the people of the state.

The discussion featured contributions from Dean Academic Affairs Prof. Randeep Rana, Dean CDC Prof. Rajesh Punia, Librarian Dr Satish Malik, Prof. K.P.S. Mahalwar, Prof. Rajendra Sharma, Prof. Khazan Singh Sangwan, Prof. Jitendra Prasad, Prof. Neerja Ahlawat, Prof. Sarojni Nandal, Prof. B.D. Yadav, Prof. J.S. Dhankhar and Dr Anand Sharma.

Dean Student Welfare Prof. Sapna Garg welcomed the participants, while student Muskan presented a Haryanvi song. Director Public Relations Sunit Mukherjee moderated the discussion. Students Rahul, Om Dev, Mohit, Mannu, Parmjeet Kaur and Sneha also shared their perspectives on Haryana’s history, society, gender issues, higher education, lifestyle, literature and culture.

The programme was jointly organised by the Vivekananda Library, Office of Student Welfare and Public Relations Office.