BOMBAY: In a significant decision the Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Manohar Joshi, announced his government’s decision to set up a Guru Nanak Chair in Punjabi studies at the University of Bombay.
The Chief Minister was speaking at the inaugural function of the two day seminar on Sant Namdev and Sri Guru Granth Sahib at the prestigious Yashwant rao Chavan Center in South Bombay. The function was organized by the International Institute of Sikhism and the Vismaad Naad Trust jointly. Earlier, a demand for setting up such a chair at the University of Bombay was made by the Trustseeretary, Amarjeet Singh Grewal, in his introductory speech.
In his address the Chief Minister extolled the virtues and wisdom of the great saint from Maharashtra who spent more than 20 years in Punjab ‘At the end of his speech, Joshi an announced the setting up of Guru Nanak Chair and asked the Vice-chancellor, Dr. Snehlata Deshmukh, who too was present at the occasion in her capacity as president of the inaugural session, to initiate process leading to the formal setting up of the chair. Seven prominent Punjabis from Bombay, were also honored at the function by the president of the Trust, Sant Baba Sucha Singhji. They included noted tabla maestro Ustad Allarakha Khan Saheb, Director General of Police Maharashtra Amarjeet Singh Samra, Collector Customs Sidharath Singh Sekhon, noted film maker and cinematographer Govind Nibalani, established poet and filmmaker Gulzar, music director Mohinderjeet and veteran journalist Harish Bhanot.
Article extracted from this publication >> May 19, 1995