SGPC takes initiatives in creating opportunities for students of SGPC institutions to pursue higher education

Chandigarh, September 6, 2012:The Vice Chancellor of Cambridge University, Dr. Sir Leszek Borysiewiczh is on a three day visit to Punjab to visit the Institutions of higher Education of SGPC and to pay his obeisance at the Golden Temple from September 5 to 7.  

He is accompanied by Dr. Indi Seerha, Director H.R., University of Cambridge and Michael O'sullivan, Director Cambridge Commonwealth Trust.

Jathedar Avtar Singh, President, Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, while addressing a joint Press Conference with the Vice Chancellor of Cambridge University stated that SGPC has taken landmark initiatives in creating opportunities for students of SGPC institutions to pursue higher education in world famous and renowned Universities and Institutions of higher education. International Education Division has been established under the Directorate of Education for this purpose. The first initiative taken by SGPC in this regard was to sign an MOU with University of Cambridge for sending five Sikh scholars to University of Cambridge for pursuing M.Phil/Ph.d at Cambridge.

The total expenses including the fee and boarding are about Rs. 25 lakh per student per year, which would be shared equally by The SGPC and The Cambridge Commonwealth Trust.

Jathedar Avtar Singh also shared that it is a matter of pride that a student from Punjab, Bibi Amandeep Kaur was admitted in September 2011 in the University of Cambridge for pursuing Ph.D program in Mathematics.

Further for the year 2012, two meritorious Sikh scholars namely S. Ravpartap Singh from Chandigarh (Legal Studies) and Ms. Shinjni Singh, from Lucknow (Asian Developmental Studies) have been selected this year for Ph.D Program in The University of Cambridge and will be joining shortly. More than 14 students had applied for Scholarship this year. The students have been selected strictly as per the selection criteria of University of Cambridge.

Dr. Sir Leszek Borysiewiczh, Vice-Chancellor, Unviersity of Cambridge, while on his first visit to Punjab at the special invitation of SGPC, said that he had always cherished the desire to pay his obeisance at Golden Temple, Sri Amritsar. Having heard a lot about the valour and capabilities of Sikh community, he has come to visit the famous educational institutions of SGPC. Talking about his motive of strengthening such ties, he said that he wants the proper utilization of human resources in this era of globalization. He also praised the economic advancement made by India and expressed his pleasure at the rising awareness of education in Punjab. He stressed the significance of modern value based education laced with morals and ethics imparted by institutions of SGPC.

Dr. Gurmohan Singh Walia, Vice-Chancellor, Guru Granth Sahib World University, Fatehgarh Sahib on this occasion said that this collaboration has been materialized due to the unstinting efforts of Jathedar Avtar Singh and it has paved way for Sikh students to realize their dreams of getting higher education in a distinguished University of the world. Pointing out the distinction of University of Cambridge, he said that so far more than 85 of its scholars have been recipients of Nobel prize and to get admission in such a University is the result of a great stroke of luck. Dr. Dharminder Singh Ubha, Director Education, while presenting the Vote of thanks expressed his happiness at the fact that Dr. Sir Leszek Borysiewiczh, has appreciated the infrastructure and academic standard maintained in the institutions of SGPC. He also hoped that in future new opportunities of such tie-ups will be generated so that more Sikh students can get an opportunity to join this honorable university.