Parkash Purb: Amarinder honours 400 prominent Punjabis

KAPURTHALA: As Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Sunday honoured 400 prominent Punjabis from around the world for their contribution in various fields, he also announced his government’s decision to establish a chair in the name of Guru Nanak in 11 universities, including one from Iran.

The function to honour thess Punjabis was taken at a function held at the Punjab Technical University Kapurthala .

Prominent Awardess who received the honours on Sunday including Senior journalist Arun Shourie, Former Indian army chief Gen JJ Singh, former Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa , Hockey legend Balbir Singh Senior, Pargat Singh and 103 years old athlete Mann Kaur received their awards.

Representatives of all the 11 universities, of which seven are in Punjab and three in other states, were also present when Punjab CM made the announcement of establishing the chairs which would focus on research on the life and teachings of the first Sikh Master.

Amarinder exhorted the Punjabis to remember their roots at all times and join his government in reviving the state and creating opportunities for the progress of its youth, who had the power and the inclination to work but lacked opportunities here at present. "Let us all join hands to give them those opportunities," he added.

Seeking their help in rebuilding Punjab, the chief minister asked the prominent Punjabi personalities from around the world to become a part of the campaign to work together to restore the state, which had suffered a double partition, to its pristine glory. He pointed to the depleting ground water table to warn that, as per assessments, Punjab was likely to turn into a desert in the next 25 years. "We have to prevent this from happening," he stressed, adding that the real tribute to Guru Nanak Dev Ji would be to preserve the natural resources for future generations and to make Punjab a clean, green and pollution-free state.

On the occasion, the chief minister released a book "The Sikh Heritage Beyond Borders", written by Dalbir Singh Pannu, and a Persian book on the life and teachings of Guru Nanak authored by an Iranian author.

Tourism and cultural affairs minister Charanjit Singh Channi said that chairs proposed by the state government would be established in Punjabi University, Patiala, IK Gujral PTU Jalandhar-Kapurthala, Maharaja Ranjit Singh PTU Bathinda, Lovely Professional University Phagwara, Chandigarh University Gharuan, Chitkara University Rajpura, Akal University Talwandi Sabo besides ITM University Gwalior, RDKF University Bhopal, JIS University West Bengal and University of Religion, Iran.