National Seminar on Concept of Shining India in Sanskrit Literature inaugurated at GNDU

Amritsar, March 19, 2015: A two-day National seminar on Concept of Shining India in Sanskrit Literature inaugurated here today in the Conference Hall of the Guru Nanak Dev University. This seminar is being organised by the Department of Sanskrit, Pali and Prakrit of the University. As many as 50 research papers would be presented by the scholars across the country in this seminar.

Vice-Chancellor, Prof. A.S. Brar inaugurated the seminar. Padamshree Prof. Ramakant Shukla from New Delhi was the chief guest while Prof. Gautam Patil, former Chairman, Sanskrit Sahitya Academy, Ahemdabad, Gujrat delivered the presidential remarks. Prof. Lekh Ram Sharma, former professor of the department delivered the keynote address and welcomed the chief guest and others. Dr. Dalbir Singh Chahal, Coordinator of the seminar gave details about the seminar. Dr. Renu Bala, Head of Deparment presented vote of thanks.

Brar in his inaugural address said that clean environment is the biggest challenge we are facing today. We are playing with the nature at the name of development. He said that our Guru Sahiban always cautioned about the cause of environment. He said that in Gurbani, air is consider as Guru, water as father and earth as mother. So it is our prime duty to respect and clean them.

He said that every student should understand his duty towards their mother tongue and keep learning other languages also. He said that internal purity of mind and soul is must so that we deliver pure and useful services to our society.

Prof. Sharma in his keynote address said that we may honour the directive of Vedas andDharma     Shastras and we act upon the teaching of our Rishis, saints and other spiritual personalities to maintain the air, water and environment neat and clean. He divided Swachta into to parts i.e. purity of mind and thought as the internal and to maintainence environment cleanliness as external. He explained the directive of Dharma Shastras that the rivers and mountains may not be polluted.

Dr. Patel in his presidential address said that the need of hour is to purify the mindset of people and preserve the natural resources. We are adopting a materialistic approach instead of our rich cultural heritage. He said that cleanliness needed to be started from ourselves. Dr. H.S. Bhatia, Dean Languages of the University said that we can learn a lot from Sanskrit Literature regarding Swachta. Dr. Dalbir Singh, Director of the seminar stressed upon the preservation of the trees so that one may breath in fresh air.

Dr. Renu also honored the chief guest and others with memento on behalf of the University. Dr. J.K. Godiyal, Dr. Ashutosh Angiras, Dr. Raghubir Singh, Dr. Ramviney Singh. Dr. Kamdev Jhaa, Dr. Harsh Mehta, Dr. Barinder Datt Sharma, Dr. Mahesh Gautam, Dr. Krishan Murvari, Dr. Krishana Saini, Dr. Prabhat Singh, Dr. Narsingh Panda and Dr. Kewal Krishan also presented their views. / (SK Vyas, Jalandhar)