Week-long celebration of Jayanti of Mahatma Gandhi concludes

Chandigarh, October 2, 2018: The Department of Gandhian & Peace Studies, Panjab University, Chandigarh organised a week-long celebration of the Jayanti of Mahatma Gandhi from 25th September, 2018 to 2nd October, 2018. Dr.Seema Pasricha introduced all the dignitaries to the audience and also informed everybody about the working and achievements of the Department. She elaborated that a Cleanliness Drive Rally was organised followed by activity of cleaning of the Pool around Gandhi Bhawan and its surroundings on 25th September, 2018 in which more than 150 students, University faculty members and non-teaching staff participated.
An On-The-Spot Essay Writing Competition was organised on 26th September, which brought in numerous students from the Colleges of Chandigarh and Punjab University Departments. Further an On-The-Spot Painting Competition was organised on 27th September which attracted a huge number of students from different schools of Chandigarh, Panchkula and Mohali (Tricity).
Two Special Lectures titled, “Women Atrocities a Fastest Growing Menace Towards Healthy Society” was delivered by Dr. Charanpreet Singh on 29th September in which he talked about different laws related to this issue and tried to give solutions also. Second Lecture delivered by Dr. Bittu Safeena Sandhu, an entrepreneur, poet, counsellor and a social worker – all rolled into one is a founder Director of Rani Breast Cancer Trust, Kansal, Mohali delivered Special Lecture on “Awareness on Breast Cancer”. The lecture focused on the awareness on the dreaded disease of Breast Cancer among women and gave a demo to the girl students and faculty members
On the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti, Shri Rajinder Singh Rana, MLA, Sujanpur, Himachal Pradesh delivered a Special Lecture on “The Gandhian Relevance in the Contemporary World”. He started his lecture talking about his experiences in life ranging from helping women who have suffered from the Kargil War to help marry 5807 poor girls off till date. He explained how his motto in life is ‘nothing is bigger than humanity’ and that through social services the same message should be spread among masses and to walk the ways Gandhiji enlightened us with.
Shri Amarjeet Singh, OSD to C.M., Haryana Chandigarh delivered a lecture in which he emphasised that we should always try to be ready for any adverse situation that might arise and follow the Gandhian ideals in their real essence and he put emphasis on education which is the only way to move forward, achieve something in life and bring back values in our society.
Professor Shankarji Jha, DUI, Panjab University presided over the function. The Dean of University Instruction, in his address, highlighted on the importance of this day by explaining the history of Mahatma Gandhi and highlighting the requirements of the contemporary world with the importance of science and technology and realising the importance of non-violence. He also congratulated all the faculty members and others alike and proceeded to emphasise on the fact that we have to further work harder to achieve more.
The Chairperson, Department of Gandhian and Peace Studies & Honorary Director, Gandhi Bhawan, Dr. Ashu Pasricha, extended her warm thanks to all the invited guests and the attendees She emphasised that the values, thoughts and principles espoused by Gandhiji can guide our planet towards a better future.
On this occasion, the Best Mali Award for the year 2018 was awarded to Sh. Radheysham, Professor R. C. Paul Rose Garden, Panjab University, Chandigarh which included a cash award of Rs. 2100 /-.
After the prize distribution, the results of the Inter-College/PU Departments Competitive Exam (Subjective) on the Autobiography of Mahatma Gandhi titled, “The Story of My Experiments with Truth” and On-The-Spot Drawing/Painting competition were also announced and the students who got Ist, IInd and IIIrd positions were awarded the cash prize of Rs 1000/-, 700/- and 500/- respectively. The names of the winners are Pawandeep Singh, P.U. (1st Prize), Rajdeep Singh, P.U. (2nd Prize), Akriti Goyal, Government Home Science College, Sector 10, Chandigarh (3rd Prize). For the On-The-Spot Drawing/Painting competition, the names of the winners are, Neha, New India Senior Secondary School, Sector 15, Chandigarh (1st Prize), Amisha Kanwar, Saint Joseph’s Senior Secondary School, Sector 44, Chandigarh (2nd Prize), Kinshuck, National Public School, Mohali (3rd Prize).
The Best Volunteer of NCC Award for the year 2018 as a memento and an appreciation certificate was awarded to SUO Bipul Raj and Sgt. Prakriti
A special student of SOREM (Society for Rehabilitation of the Mentally challenged), Sector 36, Chandigarh, Mr. Gaurav was presented with a memento and an appreciation certificate for his participation and a gold medal win in 500 mtr Roller Skating at the Special Olympics World Summer Games, 2015 held at Los Angeles, USA.
Dr. (Mrs.) Bittu Safeena Sandhu, Director of the NGO – Rani Breast Cancer Trust, Kansal, Mohali was presented with a memento and an appreciation certificate.
Dr. Goindi was given a memento for his extensive social work on the lines of Gandhian philosophy.
Shri Surender Kumar, an artist from Department of Art and Culture, Haryana was presented with a memento and an appreciation certificate.
An amount of Rs. 21,000 /- was donated by Shri Rajinder Singh Rana to the Department of Gandhian and Peace Studies, Panjab University, Chandigarh for which the department is highly appreciative and thankful.