International Seminar & Kavi Darbar to Commemorate 350th Prakash Utsav of Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji starts at PU

Chandigarh, October 27, 2016: Two day International Seminar on ‘Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji’s Contribution to Indian
Society and Culture: Multiple Perspectives’ started at Panjab University (PU) here today.
The international seminar is being organized by PU Department of Guru Nanak Sikh Studies as part of 350th Parkash Utsav celebrations.
The seminar started with Sardar Surjit Singh Rakhra, the Minister for Water Supply, Sanitation, Higher Education & Languages, as the Chief Guest, amidst a galaxy of academia including PU Vice Chancellor Professor Arun Kumar Grover, Punjabi University Vice Chancellor Professor Jaspal Singh, Former Pro-Vice Chancellor of JNU Professor Kapil Kapur, noted poet Padam Shree Awardee Professor Surjit Patar, PU Dean University Instruction (DUI) Professor Dinesh Gupta and Dr Sarbjinder Singh, Professor Satish Verma, former Dean of Languages Punjabi University Patiala, gracing the dais, besides PU Registrar Col Guljeet Singh Chadha.
Punjab Minister Sardar Surjit Singh Rakhra likened tenth Guru to a light house as also a warrior against injustice, while exemplifying sacrifice and valour. He sensitized the audience in the jam-packed packed auditorium of the Department of
evening Studies, that had Chamkor ki Gahri not been there, the very existence of ‘us’ could have been a different story.
In his keynote address, Eminent Punjabi writer Surjit Singh Patar talked about the multifaceted multidimensional contributions of Shree Guru Gobind ji to the society. He stressed that Guru ji was not only a creator of Khalsa Panth, he also
instituted the `Gurudom’ of Shri Granth Sahib’. Quoting some verse from Dasham Granth, Professor Patar expressed that Guru Ji was all for the celebrations of multiplicity of the world which included the richness of culture and religion diversity, and gave new connotations an association to the two key festivals of India; Baisakhi and Holi.
In his inaugural address, PU VC Prof Arun Kumar Grover expressed special thanks to Panjab Government and Professor Japsal Singh, the Vice Chancellor of Punjabi University, for choosing PU as a venue for this historic event. While referring to the era from Maharaja Ranjit Singh to Dewan Anand Kumar, Professor Grover traced the emergence of PU to lineage of Guru Gobind Singh ji. Professor Grover praised Guru Granth Sahib as the `Constitution of the Society’, which based on the essence of the teachings of various religions and sects provided the regulatory framework for the `socio-cultural and economic order’ for the humanity.
In his welcome address, PU DUI Professor Dinesh Gupta epitomized the 10th Guru as spirit of sacrifice, and echoing first revolutionary voice against the oppressive system of the age. Professor Gupta saw in him a perfect model blending spirituality
wih administration.
While Professor Satish K Verma called Guru ji a holistic personality and a role model for the modern youth. Prof. Kapil Kapoor expressed that `the 10th Guru changed destiny of India by showing to the world that the marginalized and discriminated masses can be mainstreamed and took to the corridors of power’.
Besides giving details of the year-long events line-up for the celebrations of the historic commemorations, Professor Jaspal Singh, Vice Chancellor of Punjabi University expressed that when the diversity and plurality of the society was at stake
and the fascist unity was staring at the face, the 10th Guru emerged as custodian of religious steadfastness and custodian of plurality.
Earlier, the Chairperson of Guru Nanak Sikh Studies, PU, Professor Jaspal Kaur Kaang welcomed the dignitaries and participants. She talked about Dasham Guru Gobind Singh ji an ambassador of multi-lingual, multicultural and multi-religious values.
The afternoon session was dedicated to the eminent poets from North India. The noted poets from the language of Urdu, Persian, Punjabi and Hindi painted the canvas of Guru Gobind Singh ji’s life with their poetic words.