PU faculty, students pay tribute to Manmohan Singh

The Panjab University (PU) today organised condolence meetings to pay homage to its distinguished alumnus and former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh.

The morning meeting, held in the Senate Hall, was attended by Vice-Chancellor (VC) Renu Vig, Registrar YP Verma, DUI Rumina Sethi, Director RDC Yojna Rawat, Controller of Examinations Jagat Bhushan, DCDC Sanjay Kaushik, former VC Arun Grover, SS Bari, DSW (Women) Simrat Kahlon, Dean Alumni Latika Sharma, PUTA president Amarjit Singh Naura along with a large number of faculty, hostel wardens and staff members.

Addressing the gathering, Vig expressed profound grief over Singh’s demise, stating that his legacy as an academician, economist and leader will remain forever etched in the history of Panjab University and the nation. She highlighted his academic excellence, including his Bachelor’s degree in Economics (1952) and Master’s degree in Economics (1954), both achieved with distinction, as well as his tenure as Senior Lecturer, Reader, and Professor of Economics at PU from 1957 to 1965.

The VC mentioned that as Finance Minister, Dr Singh was instrumental in securing a special grant of Rs 70 crore for Panjab University, a testament to his enduring commitment to his alma mater. She also reflected on the honours conferred upon Dr. Singh by Panjab University, including the honorary Doctor of Literature (D.Litt.) in 1983 and the honorary Doctor of Laws (LL.D.) in 2009. She recalled his inaugural Prof SB Rangnekar Memorial Oration delivered in 2018, which underscored his lasting association with the university.

The department of economics and the Panjab University Alumni Association (PUAA) jointly organised a hybrid-mode condolence meeting later in the afternoon, with an offline session also being held in the department seminar room. Both meetings saw students, scholars and faculty members observe two minutes of silence to pay their respects and offer prayers for Dr Singh.