Ludhiana, August 04, 2023: Professor of Economics at Oxford Brookes Business School, Prof. Pritam Singh Gill, visited Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) in Ludhiana and met with the Vice-Chancellor, Dr. Satbir Singh Gosal, and other university officers regarding the recent introduction of the ‘Guru Nanak Junior Research Fellowship’ at Oxford University, UK.
This prestigious academic fellowship aims to foster research into the life and philosophy of Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the revered first Sikh Guru.
The fellowship will actively engage with partners and communities in India. By advancing research into the Guru’s life and teachings, it will help uncover the contemporary relevance of Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s profound wisdom and its impact on various aspects of society.
Prof. Gill highlighted the significance of Oxford University as the ideal location for this fellowship, given its strong academic offerings and the larger British Indian community in the UK.
Oxford University is already having chairs and programmes on Christian, Islamic, and Hindu Studies, as well as Buddhism and Judaism, he informed.
The establishment of this fellowship will play a crucial role in strengthening the academic ties between the esteemed university and the Indian diaspora, further fostering understanding and appreciation of Sikh heritage and culture.
In response to the news, Dr. Satbir Singh Gosal, Vice-Chancellor of Punjab Agricultural University, expressed his delight at the establishment of the Guru Nanak Junior Research Fellowship at Oxford University. He lauded the initiative as a commendable step towards promoting inter-faith harmony and peace building, and he emphasized the fellowship’s potential to deepen the connection between the academic communities in India and the UK. A bridge-builder, this fellowship is destined to unite the academic communities of India and the UK, sowing the seeds of deeper understanding and cooperation, he opined.
Harpreet Sandhu, an eminent author, nature artist, and environmentalist who accompanied Prof. Gill during his visit to PAU, also shared his enthusiasm for the fellowship’s establishment. He acknowledged the fellowship’s focus on community cohesion and its potential to create positive social change.
The moderator of the Interaction, Dr Vishal Bector, Associate Director (Institution Relations), noted that the pursuit of the fellowship is poised to enhance the knowledge and appreciation of Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s teachings among a global audience.
Later, Prof. Pritam Singh Gill was felicitated with a memento by the Vice-Chancellor. Harpreet Sandhu also presented a picture of the ‘Sri Sahib’ monument of the Gurudwara Kartarpur Sahib, Pakistan, photographed by him to Dr Gosal.
Notable attendees were Avtar Singh Dhindsa, a leading floriculturist, Gurpreet Singh Toor, former IPS officer and litterateur and T.P.S. Sandhu, a renowned photographer.
