Swami Dayanand Saraswati remembered

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, February 12

DAV University celebrated the birth anniversary of Swami Dayanand Saraswati – a great social reformer and founder of the Arya Samaj. The function aimed at creating awareness about his contribution in promoting equal rights for women, including the right to education and reading of Indian scriptures.

The function started with the yajna held at the newly constructed yagyashala on the campus. The yagyashala was surrounded by 10 havan kunds representing different departments of the university where the members of the teaching, non-teaching staff and students performed yajna. The entire campus reverberated with the chants of the Vedic mantras.

The chief guest at the function was Kundan Lal Aggarwal, a noted Arya Samaj missionary and philanthropist. Addressing the students, the officiating vice-chancellor Dr Jasbir Rishi said Swamiji denounced idolatry and ritualistic worship and worked for reviving Vedic ideologies. She said that Swami Dayanand Saraswati was the first to give the call for Swaraj as ‘India for Indians’ in 1876, a call later taken up by Lokmanya Tilak.

Earlier, welcoming the guests and students, Dr KN Kaul, officiating Registrar, said Swami Dayanand Saraswati influenced many people, including Swami Shraddhanand, Bhagat Singh, Lala Hardayal, Madan Lal Dhingra, Ram Prasad Bismil, Mahatma Hansraj and Lala Lajpat Rai. Arun, a student of B Tech CSE, shared his views on the life of Swamiji. Other dignitaries, including Dr RK Seth, dean Academics, and coordinators of different departments were also present at the function.

A competition to depict the life and contribution of Swami Dayanand Saraswati was also organised by the Fine Arts Club of the University. Results: Poster making: Rabia (first), Aniket (second), Sapna (third); oil pastel: Gaurav (first), Anjali (second) and Aishwariya (third); watercolour painting: Neeraj (first).

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