CM Mann assures of full support to set up Surjit Patar Centre for Ethical AI at GNDU

Calling the late Padma Shri awardee Surjit Patar as one of the greatest Punjabi poets of this century, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann compared him with another great poet John Keats.

While speaking at the Surjit Patar Memorial Ceremony 2025 held at the Golden Jubilee Convention Center of the university in collaboration with the Punjab Kala Parishad and the Department of Languages, Punjab, Chief Minister Mann remarked, “If English has Keats, Punjabi has Surjit Patar.” The Chief Minister also recited some of Patar’s iconic poems, reflecting on their timeless appeal and relevance.

The Chief Minister highlighted the role of technology in strengthening Punjabi and said that the Punjab Government is collaborating with institutions like the Punjab Kala Parishad and the Department of Languages to ensure that the language keeps pace with modern advancements. He stressed the importance of channeling artificial intelligence (AI) for public welfare and announced full support to set up ‘Surjit Patar Center for Ethical AI’’ at GNDU.

He paid homage to the Tutti Gandhi historical event on Maghi at Sri Muktsar Sahib and emphasized Punjabi’s global reach, noting that Punjabis carry their rich heritage wherever they go. He also highlighted the growing influence of Punjabi in Bollywood, “Today, no Bollywood film considers its music secure till they have one Punjabi song. The Punjabi artists are taking over the global stage and our Diaspora maintains the connection with Punjab and its culture,” he said.

The Chief Minister, along with other dignitaries, honoured Surjit Patar’s wife Bhupinder Kaur, brother Upkar Singh, sister Balbir Kaur and his son Manraj Patar, and other family members with phulkaris . A book entitled ‘Surjit Patar in Poetic Truth Journeys’, authored by Amarjit Singh Grewal, an eminent writer and Patar’s close friend was also released by the CM, celebrating the poet’s legacy.

Bhupinder Kaur, wife of Surjit Patar, shared cherished memories of her late husband and recited his poetry, including verses dedicated to Guru Gobind Singh, leaving the audience deeply moved.

Earlier, Prof Karamjeet Singh, Vice-Chancellor of Guru Nanak Dev University, quoted a line from Surjit Patar’s poem, he also reflected on the significance of the historical Maghi day. The Vice-Chancellor commended the Chief Minister’s efforts to preserve the legacy of Surjit Patar and promote the Punjabi language and literature. Eminent thinker and writer Amarjit Singh Grewal delivered the Surjit Patar Memorial Speech, reflecting on Patar’s moral vision and its relevance in the era of AI. He expressed that Patar’s works carried the potential for global recognition, including a Nobel Prize.