SS Johl elected president of Bhai Vir Singh Sadan, to fill MM Singh’s shoes

Bhai Vir Singh Sahitya Sadan, the leading institute of Sikh studies in New Delhi, on Saturday announced a scholarship and a memorial lecture in the memory of late Prime Minister Manmohan Singh who was the president of the body.

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The general body of the Sadan, which met here today, decided to institute Dr Manmohan Singh Memorial Gold Medal to be awarded to a student who bagged the first position in Economics in the University of Delhi and approved the requisite endowment fund for the purpose. The Sadan also decided that a distinguished scholar of international repute will be invited annually to deliver Dr Manmohan Singh Memorial Lecture on the late PM’s birthday September 26.

At the same meeting, leading agriculture economist SS Johl was unanimously elected president of the Sadan. Johl was senior vice-president of the Sadan under late Manmohan Singh as president.

Johl has served in different capacities with the four Prime Ministers of India. He was Chairman of Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (GOI), Vice-Chancellor of Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana; Punjabi University, Patiala; and Chancellor of Central University of Punjab, Bathinda.

The Sadan said a sub-committee has also been formed with SS Johl to work out plans to perpetuate the memory of Singh, the global citizen, who brought honour to the nation through his economic reforms which focused on growth with social responsibility.

The Sadan also passed a Condolence Resolution and pledged to carry on the legacy of Manmohan Singh. Members remembered how it was under Manmohan Singh as president that prominent Punjabis Mulkraj Anand, Kuldip Nayar, Amrik Singh, Bipan Chandra, BR Nanda, late Prof BN Goswamy joined the Governing Board, which led to the creation of a congenial academic environment and helped in promoting major objectives of the Society.

“Through the translation of Bhai Vir Singh’s seminal works in Hindi and other languages, the poet’s concerns for nature and environment were highlighted at national level,” Sadan said.