MRSPTU Faculty Member Delivers Foundation Day Lecture at Khalsa College, Amritsar
Kanwar Inder Singh/ royalpatiala.in News/ March 13,2026
Dr. Ripu Daman Singh, Associate Professor and Head of the Giani Zail Singh (GZS) School of Architecture and Planning at Maharaja Ranjit Singh Punjab Technical University (MRSPTU), Bathinda, delivered an expert lecture at Khalsa College, Amritsar, on the occasion of the institution’s 134th Foundation Day recently.
The lecture, titled “Khalsa College, Amritsar: An Architectural Masterpiece by Bhai Ram Singh,” highlighted the historical and architectural significance of the iconic college building, which was envisioned in 1892 during the British rule.
During his presentation, Dr. Ripu Daman Singh elaborated on the architectural brilliance of Bhai Ram Singh, the architect of the Khalsa College building. Bhai Ram Singh served as the Vice-Principal of the Mayo School of Arts, Lahore, and had earlier executed several works of art, craft, interior design and building design across parts of undivided India and England.
Dr. Ripu Daman Singh noted that Bhai Ram Singh belonged to a traditional clan of carpenters and possessed exceptional design acumen. His hereditary craftsmanship combined with refined architectural skills made him one of the most prominent designers during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries in India.
Explaining the structural philosophy of the Khalsa College building, Dr. Ripudaman Singh discussed the geometry and proportioning system embedded in its design. He highlighted that the architectural layout follows a unique proportioning system derived from traditional learning, which guided the development of different parts of the structure.
He further pointed out that Khalsa College represents a rare institutional model where knowledge (Gyan Khand), spirituality (Dharamsaal), and healthcare (Dawakhana) were integrated together through the establishment of the college, a gurdwara and a dispensary—an initiative considered among the earliest of its kind in the world.
Dr. Atam Singh Randhawa, Principal of Khalsa College, Amritsar, played a key role in organizing the Foundation Day event, which was dedicated to the architectural legacy of the historic college building.
Dr. Mehal Singh, Vice Chancellor of Khalsa University, attended the event as the chief guest and spoke extensively about the historical evolution and academic legacy of the institution.
Dr. Rajinder Mohan Singh Chhina, Pro-Vice Chancellor of Khalsa University and Honorary Secretary of the Khalsa College Governing Council, appreciated the lecture and invited Dr. Ripu Daman Singh to prepare a detailed report on the architectural significance of the Khalsa College building.
