Leading industrialist Sunil Kant Munjal to be conferred Udyog Rattan Award

Chandigarh, January 01, 2018: Prof Arun K Grover, Vice Chancellor, Panjab University, Chandigarh while addressing the
media, here today, informed about the major forthcoming events at Panjab University. He shared about 2nd Prof.(Dr.) Urmi Kessar Memorial Oration scheduled for January 8, 2018 by a highly acclaimed novelist and poet Shri Vikram Seth on “Thoughts on Being a Writer”. As per a revised provision in the Endowment for Dr.Urmi Kessar Memorial Lecture/Oration, an honorarium of Rs.5 lakhs is envisaged to be paid to the speaker.
Prof.Pushpinder Syal, Dept. of English and Cultural Studies shall be interlocutor during an interaction with Mr. Vikram Seth.
Prof.Grover also shared about the forthcoming 12th Chandigarh Science Congress (CHASCON-2018) from 12-14 Feb, 2018 being organized by Panjab University and Chandigarh Region Innovation & Knowledge Cluster (CRIKC) on the Theme: Science and Society Interface: Exploration and Cost Effective and Efficient Technologies Through Physical And Natural Science”.
Prof. S. Rangnekar Memorial Lecture is also planned by the Department of Economics, Panjab University and making efforts to invite Dr. Manmohan Singh, Former Prime Minister of India to deliver lecture. He further shared that the year 2019 is centenary of Honours School System which was started in the year 1919 at Lahore which is also the birth centenary of Prof. R.C. Paul who remained Vice Chancellor of PU for 10 years from 1974-84. PU is also planning to commemorate a stamp release on the occasion apart from organising a three days R.C.Paul Symposium covering all frontiers of science. He further added that PU is the only University having Honours School.

Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu, Vice-President of India and Chancellor, Panjab University, has very kindly accepted to be the chief guest for its 67th Annual Convocation on March 4, 2018, informed Prof. Grover. He informed about the conferment of the Honoris Causa Degrees and presentation of Khel Rattan, Gyan Rattan and Udyog Rattan Awards to the followings at the next Annual Convocation of Panjab University scheduled on March 4,2018:
a) Smt. Sumitra Mahajan , Doctor of Laws (Honoris Causa)
b) Prof. M.M. Sharma (FRS), D.Sc. (Honoris Causa)
c) Prof. Sir Tejinder Singh Virdee (FRS), D.Sc., (Honoris Causa)
d) Shri Milkha Singh, (Khel Rattan)
e) Prof. B.N. Goswami, (Gyan Rattan)
f) Shri Sunil Kant Munjal, (Udyog Rattan)
Prof. Grover informed that a proposal for grant of the status of ‘Institution of Excellence’ with respect to Panjab University, Chandigarh, has already been submitted to the MHRD, on December 11, 2017. He shared that 67 proposals have been submitted to MHRD out of which 30 will be called for presentation after shortlisting. He also informed that PU is aggressively perusing with MHRD to defreeze the appointments as the student/teacher ratio is sliding.
Vice Chancellor further informed that it is a matter of great pride various alumni are coming forward to contribute to endowment fund for encouraging the research in PU. He informed that Prof. R.K. Kohli, former DUI, PU and Vice Chancellor, Central University of Punjab, Bathinda, has established an Endowment Fund in the name of his revered father (Late) Shri Shiv Nath Rai Kohli for instituting an annual award comprising cash prize of Rs.1,00,000/-(one lakh only) and a plaque with citation. This proposal has been accepted by the Syndicate on 10.12.2017. This award would be open to researchers
in the PU, Central University of Punjab and CRIKC Institutions.