PU to honour Manu Bhaker, Narula, other achievers at convocation

Panjab University will honour people achieving excellence across diverse fields at its 72nd Convocation on March 12, with President of India Droupadi Murmu presiding over the ceremony. Olympic medalist Manu Bhaker, a student of Panjab University, will be among the distinguished awardees receiving the PU Ratna Award.

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The President will confer honorary degrees on mathematician RJ Hans-Gill, spiritual leader Kamlesh D Patel and social worker Nivedita Raghunath Bhide. The Ratna Award will also be presented to semiconductor scientist Gurtej Singh Sandhu, literary scholar Harmohinder Singh Bedi, entrepreneur Pushvinder Jit Singh and singer Jaspinder Narula for their contributions in their respective fields.

Manu Bhaker, a student of Public Administration of Panjab University, made history at the 2024 Paris Olympics by winning bronze medals in both the 10m air pistol individual event and the 10m air pistol mixed team event, becoming the first Indian woman shooter to achieve this feat. She has won multiple medals in the Olympics, World Championships and Asian Games and was honoured with the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award in 2024.

Among the honorary degree recipients, RJ Hans-Gill is a distinguished mathematician known for her pioneering contributions to number theory, discrete geometry and the geometry of numbers. Kamlesh D Patel, also known as Daaji, is a spiritual leader, author, pharmacist-entrepreneur and environmentalist who has worked extensively on integrating meditation and scientific approaches to mental health. He was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 2023 for his contributions to spiritualism. Nivedita Raghunath Bhide, a Padma Shri awardee, has dedicated her life to social service and the promotion of Indian culture. She has authored numerous books and worked extensively in rural development and value-based education.

Gurtej Singh Sandhu, a leading semiconductor innovator with 1,382 US patents, has played a pivotal role in advancing memory chip technology. As vice-president at Micron Technology, his work has been instrumental in the progress of AI, semiconductor fabrication, and nanotechnology. Harmohinder Singh Bedi, Chancellor of the Central University of Himachal Pradesh, is a renowned scholar and author with over 30 books to his name. His research focuses on Punjab’s literary and cultural contributions to Hindi literature, earning him prestigious honours, including the Padma Shri. Pushvinder Jit Singh, Managing Director of Tynor Orthotics Ltd., has revolutionised India’s orthopaedic support industry, making Tynor a leading global brand exporting to 60 countries.

Jaspinder Narula, an acclaimed playback and Sufi singer, has made a lasting impact in Hindi and Punjabi music. A recipient of the National Film Award, she is known for her powerful voice and contributions to devotional and classical music.

Panjab University Vice-Chancellor Renu Vig congratulated all the awardees and degree recipients, expressing pride in their accomplishments. She said the convocation marked the culmination of years of effort and was an occasion to celebrate the outstanding contributions of individuals whose work continued to inspire future generations.