Guru Nanak Chair established at Chandigarh University

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 24

To commemorate the ongoing 551st birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev, Chandigarh University, Gharuan, in collaboration with the Punjab Government, inaugurated “Guru Nanak Chair for Studies in Universal Advancements” at the university.

Spiritual guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, Technical Education and Tourism Minister of Punjab Charnjeet Singh Channi, social activist and environmentalist Baba Balbir Singh Seechewal inaugurated the Chair on the campus of the university.

The chair will offer a multidisciplinary platform for quality research along with publications on the teachings of Guru Nanak Dev on the sustainable development of humanity. To underline the importance of medicinal plants among the community, especially when the world is reeling under the Covid-19 pandemic, the tricity’s first Guru Nanak Bagichi, comprising 13 highly used medicine plants, was also inaugurated on the campus.

Addressing the gathering, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar said: “The philosophy and teachings of Guru Nanak Dev are relevant and important for mankind, especially when the world is fighting a war against an unknown enemy, coronavirus. The teachings of a great guru should not be confined to one religion but these should give a universal message to propagate love and pray for prosperity of others too.”

Channi said: “How visionary Guru Nanak Dev was as the Guru gave the message for sustainable development 550 years ago which the United Nations is discussing amongst the nations today, and is very much relevant in the 21st century”. While giving the message of protecting the environment for our children, Baba Seechewal said: “Guru Nanak has conveyed the message to respect nature, mother earth and other natural resources such as water and air. We have forgotten the teachings of Guru Nanak who said “Pawan Guru Panni Pita Mata Dharat Mahat” which means that our environment is like our family but what we see today is deteriorating air due to pollution and depleting underground water”.