VICE CHANCELLOR’S STATEMENT

Chandigarh February 18, 2019

1.            With a deep sense of sorrow, I may inform the honourable
members of the Syndicate about the sad demise of

i)             Dr. Pushpa Chaudhary, former Professor, Dept. of Education, Panjab University on 18th December, 2018

ii)            Sardar Kuldip Singh, father of Dr. Gurmeet Singh, Fellow and Chairperson, Dept. of Hindi, Panjab University on 25th
December, 2018

iii)           Mrs. Swaran Kaur, mother of Prof. Swinder Singh, USOL on 27th December, 2018

iv)           Smt. Vimla Grover mother of Prof. Arun Kumar Grover, former Vice Chancellor, Panjab University on 28th December, 2018

v)            Dr. B.R. Kandoi, former Professor, Dept. of Economics, Panjab University, on 1st January, 2019

vi)           Shri Ajmer Singh, father of Dr. Rajiv Kumar, Dept. of Environment Studies on 20th January, 2019

vii)         S. Jagjit Singh, father of Shri Prabhjit Singh, Fellow on 21st January, 2019

viii)        Dr. R.K. Gupta, former Professor, Dept. of Physics, Panjab University on 26th January, 2019

ix)           Shri Raghbir Dyal, Fellow and member of Board of Finance on 27th January, 2019.

x)            Mrs. Prabha Verma, mother of Prof. Archana Bhatnagar, Dept. of Biochemistry, Panjab University on 30th January, 2019

xi)           Mrs. Mato Rani, mother of Dr. Ashok Yadav, Assistant Professor, University Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Panjab
University on 2nd February, 2019

xii)         Prof. A.K. Bhandari, Dept. of Mathematics, Panjab University on 11th February, 2019

xiii)        Prof. S.M. Handa, former Professor, Dept. of Zoology, Panjab University on 11th February, 2019

 (To pay homage to the departed souls, two minutes silence, all standing, may be observed).

2.            I am pleased to inform the honourable members of the
Syndicate that:

(i)            Mr. Shyam, NSS volunteer, a student of BA-III in Department of Evening Studies, Panjab University participated in the Republic Day Parade held on 26th January, 2019 in New Delhi.

(ii)          Two papers entitled “Alcohol use and burden for 195 countries and territories, 1990-2016: A systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2016” and “Measuring performance on the Healthcare Access and Quality Index for 195 countries and territories and selected subnational locations: A systematic analysis from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2016” of Dr. Kewal Krishan, Chairperson, Dept. of Anthropology, Panjab University have been published in high impact factor medical journal “The Lancet”.

(iii)         Prof. Bhupinder Singh Bhoop, University Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Panjab University has been bestowed upon with
the Fellowship Award 2018 by Indian Pharmaceutical Association.

(iv)         Dr. Neelima Dhingra, Assistant Professor, University Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Panjab University has been conferred upon with “Bharat Ratna Mother Teresa Gold Medal Award 2018” by Global Economic Progress and Research Association, Tamil Nadu in Chennai on December, 22, 2018.

(v)          Shri Sanjay Tandon, Fellow, Panjab University and President, Balramji Dass Tandon Charitable Foundation, H.No. 1636, Sec. 18-D, Chandigarh has donated an amount of Rs.10 lac to the University for creating an Endowment Fund for organizing Annual Memorial Lecture in memory of his father late Sh. Balramji Dass Tandon.

(vi)         Dr. S.M. Kant, former Director, Youth Welfare, Panjab University has been awarded Lifetime Achievement Award at the 34th North Zone Inter University Youth Festival held at Panjab University.

(vii)        Prof. Jayant N. Pethkar, School of Communication Studies, Panjab University has been awarded as Good Teacher Award by the Chandigarh Chapter of Public Relations Society of India.

(viii)      Prof. Harsh Nayyar, Department of Botany, Panjab University has been sanctioned a grant of 30,000 US dollars by International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA), Morocco for a 2-year collaborative research project on “Screening Lentils for Heat Stress under Controlled Conditions”.

(ix)         Mr. Akash Rai, a student of the University Business School, Panjab University has got the highest package of Rs.53 lac p.a. in Tolaram Group in the recent campus placements conducted at UBS.

(x)          Mr. Radha Kishan, R/o H.No.  362, Sector-9, Panchkula has donated an amount of Rs.1 lac for the purchase of books and payment towards scholarship to the poor and needy students.

(xi)         Professor Chaman Lal, Fellow, Panjab University has been appointed as Honorary Advisor of Bhagat Singh Archives and Resource
Centre of Delhi Archives of Government of NCT of Delhi.

(xii)        Smt. Kirron Kher, Hon’ble Member of Parliament (Lok Sabha), Chandigarh has recommended the purchase of one bus and construction (expansion) of community centre for Panjab University, Chandigarh out of her MP Local Area Development Fund.

(xiii)      Dr. Dalip Kumar, Fellow has been awarded commendation certificate by Chandigarh Administration for his contribution in the field of higher education.

(xiv)      Dr. Manjit Kaur Brar, Principal, Govt. College of Commerce and Business Administration, Sector-50, Chandigarh has been awarded
commendation certificate by Chandigarh Administration for her contribution in the field of higher education.

(xv)        Panjab University NSS Contingent for the first time got first position in U.T. State Level Republic Parade.  Prior to this, the contingent had been getting second position during the last two years.

(xvi)      Dr. Prabhdeep Brar, University Institute of Fashion Technology and Vocational Development, Panjab University won the best presentation award for her paper entitled “Observing sustainability: Case studies of Chandigarh boutiques and their textile waste reuse” at the 21st international Conference on sustainability in fashion and textiles’ held in Rome, Italy from January 17-18, 2019.

(xvii)     Panjab University successfully conducted the 34th North Zone Inter University Youth Festival from 27-31 December, 2018 in collaboration with Association of Indian Universities, New Delhi. About 36 Universities from northern India participated in this mega festival.  It is also a matter of honour that Panjab University, Chandigarh placed on 2nd runner-up in overall championship of this festival.

(xviii)    Dr. Nisha Bhargava, Principal, MCM DAV College for Women,
Chandigarh and Fellow, Panjab University has been nominated as a
Member of the State Legal Services Authority, U.T. Chandigarh for a
period of two years.

(xix)      A research proposal titled “Plasmonic hot electron pockets as exciton luminescence promoters and regioselective chemical triggers” submitted jointly by Dr. Jadab Sharma, Centre for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Panjab University and Dr. Erik Dujardin, CEMES, France has been approved under CEFIPRA which will be jointly funded by India and France.

(xx)        I have met:

(a)          Shri Satyadeo Narayan Arya, Hon’ble Governor of Haryana on 4th and 22nd January, 2019 regarding Saraswati River Project.

(b)          Prof. V.K. Paul, Member, NITI Aayog, New Delhi on 10th January, 2019 regarding AYUSH and 100-bedded hospital Project.

(c)          Shri Rajiv Gauba, Home Secretary, Government of India on 10th January, 2019 to apprise about University.

(d)          Shri Suresh Prabhu, Hon’ble Minister for Commerce and Industry on 18th January, 2019 in connection with the grants for setting up of a Centre for Intellectual Property Rights.

(e)          Dr. I.V. Subba Rao, Secretary to Vice-President of India on 15th February, 2019

(f)           Prof. K. Vijay Raghavan, Principal Scientific Advisor, Govt. of India on 15th February, 2019

(g)          Dr. Arabinda Mitra, Scientific Secretary to Principal Scientific Advisor, Govt. of India on 15th February, 2019