PU Hosts Freedom 250 Public Talk, Experts Discuss Lessons from American Public Administration for Governance Reforms in India

Chandigarh, May 29, 2026: The Department of Public Administration, Panjab University (PU), Chandigarh, in collaboration with the Fulbright Commission, New Delhi, organised a special Freedom 250 Public Talk on “American Excellence in Public Administration and Public Policy” at the ICSSR Complex.
Experts deliberated on governance models, democratic institutions, administrative reforms, and opportunities for academic collaboration between India and the United States.
Delivering the keynote address, Prof. James K. Agbodzakey, University of North Texas, Dallas, USA, and Fulbright Specialist, highlighted the constitutional foundations of American governance, including separation of powers, checks and balances, federalism, and democratic accountability. He emphasised the role of public trust, citizen engagement, ethical leadership, administrative professionalism, collaborative governance, and institutional resilience in strengthening democratic systems.
Prof. Agbodzakey also highlighted the growing significance of digital governance, innovation, and public value in contemporary public administration, while underscoring the importance of the USA and India democratic partnership and shared constitutional values.
Speaking on “Public Administration in India,” former Vice Chancellor of Punjabi University Prof. B.S. Ghuman stressed that meaningful administrative reforms require stronger linkages between academia and practitioners. He stated governance education and policy practice must work in close coordination to improve public service delivery and policy outcomes. He further advocated learning from the efficiency, innovation, and citizen-centric practices of the corporate sector and called for a more interdisciplinary approach to address emerging governance challenges in India.
In his Presidential Remarks, former Chief Secretary of Punjab, Mr. Sarvesh Kaushal, IAS (Retd.) reflected on the strengths and challenges of the Indian administrative system vis-à-vis the United States. He observed that while India possesses strong democratic institutions and administrative foundations, continuous reforms, greater efficiency, technological integration, accountability, and responsiveness remain necessary to meet evolving public expectations.
Earlier, Prof. R.K. Johal highlighted the significance of the Fulbright Specialist initiative and the visit of Prof. Agbodzakey, noting the contribution of academic exchange programmes in fostering collaborative research, global learning, and cross-cultural understanding. Dr. Girish Kaul from the Fulbright Commission India informed participants about academic and leadership opportunities available under the Fulbright Programme and encouraged greater participation in international exchange initiatives.
The programme was coordinated by Dr. Bhawna Gupta, Chairperson, Department of Public Administration. Dr. Bharati Garg emphasised the importance of academic dialogue and international collaboration in addressing contemporary policy and governance challenges.
An interactive question-and-answer session helped students, researchers, and faculty members to engage with the speakers on contemporary issues in governance and public policy. The event concluded with a vote of thanks by Dr. Bhawna Gupta.
Faculty members, research scholars, students, and academicians from various departments and institutions attended the programme.