7 crore grant to revive Baba Budha ji Chair at GNDU
Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh has announced to grant Rs. 7 crore to revive academic chair in the name Baba Budha Ji at Guru Nanak Dev University, which is recently adjudged as Category-1 University by University Grants Commission.
The chair would prove to be a boon for scholars and researchers to learn about the Baba Budha ji, who had immense contribution in Sikh religion, informed Dr Jaspal S Sandhu, Vice Chancellor, Guru Nanak Dev University.
The CM sanctioned budgetary grant to Baba Budha ji research Chair on the demands raised by Dera Baba Nanak MLA Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, who is also member of syndicate and senate of University. MLA Randhawa is from the clan of Baba Budha Ji and seeks the personal intervention of CM to grant funds to the research chair.
During debate on budget provisions at Punjab Vidhan Sabha, Randhawa spoke in length about the contribution of Baba Budha ji in Sikh religion and demands that GNDU should be sanctioned grant to revive the chair, which was established in year 2003 with funds from a NRI. However, research work was stopped due to shotra
After getting the approval from the CM, Finance Minister Manpreet Badal has announced that Baba Budha ji Chair at GNDU will get grants at pattern of the Maharaja Agersen Chair and Maharana Partap Chair, which are established with an allocation of `7 crore and, this year an initial outlay of `2 crore has been provided.
Sandhu said that“its double delight for the University, as after the additional grant of Rs. 25 crore in annual budget, the Chief Minister has sanctioned Rs. 7 crore for Research Chair.”
“With all round support from the State Government, Ministry of HRD, the University Grant Commission, We have no doubt that GNDU will became the hub of higher education and research in the region”, said Vice Chancellor.
