V-P: Alumni must contribute to policy-making

Chandigarh, December 23

With the oldest alumni from the batches of 1960s in attendance, the 4th Global Alumni Meet of Panjab University saw over 1,500 registrations and about 150 members from abroad. The chief guest at the event was Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar. He was accompanied by his wife Sudesh Dhankhar, former Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry Dr Kiran Bedi, Union Minister Som Parkash, AAP MP Vikramjit Singh Sahney, Punjab Cabinet Minister Aman Arora and PU Vice Chancellor Prof Renu Vig.

Rakes up Haryana’s stake in University

Earlier, Haryana had a say in (Panjab) university with its colleges affiliated to it. I believe in the wisdom of Punjab CM and will try to form a consensus with him over Haryana’s stake in the university. I am sure he will take a step in this direction. — Jagdeep Dhankhar, Vice-President

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Generous aid

• Rs 3.5 cr donated by Dr Arun Verma, CEO, Nova Asset Management, Texas, for University Institute of Chemical Engineering and Technology
• Rs 1 cr by Rajya Sabha MP Vikramjit Singh Sahney for Punjabi translation in textbooks, creating reading space for students
• Rs 1 cr given last month by Paul Oswal, chairman, Vardhman Group, for the university

The objective of the meet was to raise Rs 100 crore for the alumni corpus fund to be used for the intellectual and financial growth of the institution. Dhankhar said, “The Panjab University alumni have excelled in every field globally. They have been the President, Vice-President, Prime Minister of the country, Chief Justice of High Court and Supreme Court, judges, scientists, bureaucrats and entrepreneurs. This reservoir of alumni intellect must come together to contribute to the corpus. We want the alumni to help in the formulation of national policies with a critical, scientific and innovative mindset.”

Dhankhar said the PU alumni must form a group, come up with an agenda related to the growth of the university and discuss with him. “The senate and syndicate cannot help with the development and growth of the university, but the strengthened alumni can,” he said. He noted that the reputation of some of the famous universities of the world thrived on the strength of the alumni and their financial reservoir was determined by alumni contribution.

Commenting on the recently passed criminal law Bills, Dr Bedi said, “I have not read the laws in detail, but if these make the police effective and respectful and the collection of evidence easy and reliable, then the objective will be met.” Principal Scientific Adviser to Union Government Ajay Sood also shared his experience as a PU student on the occasion.