Stone laid for Gurmukhi Script Centre at DU

Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Khalsa College at Delhi University (DU) on Tuesday laid the foundation stone for the Centre for Gurmukhi Script, a Rs 25 crore initiative aimed at preserving, studying, and promoting Punjabi language and Sikh heritage.

The Centre has been established under the Ministry of Minority Affairs’ Pradhan Mantri Jan Vikas Karyakram (PMJVK) and will feature state-of-the-art infrastructure dedicated to research and academic activities. Gurmukhi script, the medium of the Guru Granth Sahib, plays a central role in Sikh history, philosophy, literature, and cultural identity.

Delhi Cabinet Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa laid the foundation stone, calling the Centre “not just a research institution but a full-fledged academic thought” that would introduce the world to the teachings of the Sikh Gurus and the origins of the Gurmukhi script. He added that the Centre would serve as a platform to preserve Sikh literature and history, noting its relevance to Veer Bal Diwas, which commemorates the sacrifice of Guru Gobind Singh’s sons on December 26.

Former MP and Padma Bhushan awardee Tarlochan Singh, Chairman of Khalsa College’s Governing Body, said it is the first Gurmukhi Script Centre in India sanctioned by the Ministry of Minority Affairs. He suggested forming a joint research committee of principals from various Khalsa colleges to enable collaboration among students and teachers.

Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee chief Harmeet Singh Kalka stressed the need for research centres and scholars to promote Gurmukhi, urging parents to speak Punjabi at home. Prof Harbans Singh, Vice Principal of Khalsa College, acknowledged the contribution of faculty and scholars in shaping the Centre’s academic vision, underscoring its significance as a landmark initiative for the study of Punjabi language and Sikh heritage.