Complete text of the PU Vice Chancellor, Prof Arun Kumar Grover’s Welcome Address at the
PU Convocation-2014

        Honourable Governor of Punjab and Administrator of Union Territory Chandigarh, Shri
Shivraj Vishwanath Patil ji, our Chief Guest today for the 63rd Annual Convocation of
Panjab University in independent India, the two very eminent academic icons seated on
the dais along with him, upon whom he would bestow Honoris Causa degrees, namely Prof.
Ram Prakash Bambah, an emeritus Professor, a senate member and a former Vice Chancellor
of Panjab University, and Prof. Gurdial Singh ji, a Jnanpith Award Winner and a Senate
member of P.U.; another set of four very distinguished icons seated across the dais in
the front row, who are also being honoured today with the prestigious Udyog Ratna and
Vigyan Ratna Awards for the years 2013 and 2014, namely, Prof. Sukh Dev, Dr. Nitya
Anand, Dr. Faqir Chand Kohli and Dr. Girish Sahni; former Vice Chancellor of P.U., Prof.
M.M. Puri, present and past members of P.U. senate, Emeritus Professors of P.U., Deans
of Faculties, Principals of affiliated Colleges, my teaching colleagues from campus and
affiliated colleges, Ph.D. holders, Post Graduates and Graduates, who are to receive
their degrees, medallions, cash awards, insignias, etc. today, Invited Guests, P.U.
staff members, alumni, media persons, ladies and gentlemen.

        I consider it a privilege to have an opportunity to welcome all of you here on behalf
of the premier University of India in the year 2014, which is a very special year as it
marks the completion of 150 years of higher education in Punjab. Two Government Colleges
had commenced at Lahore and Delhi in January, 1864 to meet the need of higher education
in North and North-West of India. The College in Delhi ceased to function from 1877, and
its teaching staff was merged with the one at Lahore. Govt. College Lahore became the
nucleus of the University of Punjab at Lahore, from October 1882.

        We had initiated commemoration of 150 years of higher education in Punjab in the
backdrop of celebration of the 150th birth year of Prof. Ruchi Ram Sahni, an iconic and
multi-faceted person from April 5, 2013 onwards. Eminent Scientist Prof. Jayant Narlikar
had delivered a popular Science Lecture at P.U. Campus on that day to highlight the
Science Popularizer dimension of Ruchi Ram Sahni. The Government of India released a
commemorative postal stamp on Ruchi Ram Sahni at P.U. Campus on October 24, 2013. On
that very day, Prof. Gurdial Singh ji had delivered the Second Panjab University
Foundation Day Lecture. An International Seminar on ‘Making of Modern Punjab: Education,
Science and Social Change in Punjab circa 1850 to circa 2000’ was hosted at our campus
from October 24 - 26, 2013. This Seminar attracted eminent national icons and prominent
P.U. alumni in all fields from all over India and abroad. Vice Chancellor, Government
College University Lahore, addressed the audience via a webcast in the inaugural session.

        The year 2013-14 has been a momentous for the Panjab University Chandigarh. The Times
Higher Education World University Rankings 2013-14, powered by Thompson Reuters placed
P.U. in the bracket of 226-250 best Universities in the World. Our university obtained
the highest rank amongst all universities, IITs, NITs and the premier institutions who
had participated in the global survey in June, 2013. In December, 2013, Times Higher
Education Survey for the group of five BRICS nations, i.e. Brazil, Russia, India, China
and South Africa alongwith twelve other emerging economies of the World placed P.U. at
the 13th position, the first two ranks in that survey were captured by Peking University
Beijing and Tsinglana University, Beijing. In February, 2014, the Associated Chamber of
Commerce and Industry of India, namely, ASSOCHAM adjudged P.U. Chandigarh as the Best
Government University of India for the year 2014. Continuing this trend, three days ago
the Times Higher Education World Reputation Ranking, which uses a different recipe for
categorization of World Universities, placed P.U. in the bracket 226-300. Only one
Indian Institution got placed ahead of P.U. in this latest release of rankings. The
Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore is the only Indian Institution below the 200 rank.

        Panjab University Faculty now recognize the gaps between us and IISc., Bangalore or the
Peking University Beijing. We have prepared plans to start reducing this gap by
initiating new measures to improve the performance. The enhanced visibility of P.U. has
brought in many prestigious events to P.U. campus. The Chemical Society of India chose
to host their Golden Jubilee Annual Conference at our Campus in December 2013. The
Indian Academy of Sciences, Bangalore chose to host 79th Annual Meeting of the Academy
in the 125th birth year of Prof. C.V. Raman at Chandigarh from November 8 to 10, 2014.
P.U. hosted this prestigious three day Conference jointly with CSIR-Institute of
Microbial Technology and IISER, Mohali at three different venues. Prof. C.N.R. Rao, the
recipient of the honour of Bharat Ratna, had selected to host the 6th Biennial
International Conference on Nanoscience and Technology for the year 2014 at Chandigarh.
This series of International Conferences was initiated by Nano Mission of DST headed by
Prof. C.N.R. Rao in the year 2004.

        Panjab University Chandigarh is being perceived as the Laboratory for testing new
initiatives being incentivized by Union Government of India. DST has recently given us a
grant to set up a new Policy Research Centre to promote Academia-Industry Interaction.
BIRAC-National Innovation Council initiative, jointly with Biotech Industry, is
establishing an Innovation Centre under University Innovation Cluster Programme at P.U.
Campus. We, at our own initiative, had earlier nucleated the Chandigarh Region
Innovation and Knowledge Cluster, which has brought together 15 institutions in and
around Chandigarh under a common umbrella. Prof. C.N.R. Rao was jointly invited by CRIKC
institutions to deliver the Public Lecture at P.G.I.’s Bhargava Auditorium last Sunday.
Prof. Rao delivered an inspiring lecture to the packed Hall exactly one week ago. A new
synergy has emerged amongst all academic institutions and Research and Development
Laboratories in our region. The entire country is watching us with high expectations in
the future.

        Our Chief Guest today, who has a long experience in presiding over Science Departments
under Union Government as well as having been former Vice President of CSIR Society, can
well comprehend the information, I have alluded to.

        For the young people in this hall, let me now briefly state few information about our
Chief Guest, Honourable Governor, Shri Shivraj ji Patil.

        Starting as a Science Graduate from well known Osmania University, Hyderabad, he moved
on to obtain degree in Law from Bombay University. Thereafter, he has had a long and
distinguished record in Public life, governance, institutional reforms, nation building,
national policy, social service, literary, cultural and spiritual writings, etc. His
nearly five decades long journey commencing from Local Government in Municipality of his
hometown Latur in Maharashtra to Governorship of Punjab includes two successive terms in
Maharashtra Legislative Assembly, seven successive terms as Lok Sabha member, followed
by a full term as Rajya Sabha member. In the initial stage of his political life and
public service, he served as Minister in Maharashtra, followed by Speakership of the
Maharashtra Assembly. He moved on to serve the Union Government while it was headed by
Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. His stewardship under Indira ji included serving the
Ministries of Defence, Commerce, Departments of Science and Technology, Atomic Energy,
Electronics and Ocean Development, etc. The strategic Science Departments of Union
Government remained under the direct control of the Prime Minister and Shri Shivraj ji
Patil had played a key role in the nucleation of Department of Science and Technology in
early 1980s. In the Union Government presided over by Shri Rajiv Gandhi ji, Shri Shivraj
ji Patil served in the important Department of Personnel, Ministries of Defence
Production, Civil Aviation, Tourism etc.

        I personally reckon that Shri Shivraj ji Patil would be long admired for his
significant contributions as Speaker of the Lok Sabha from 1991-96. He had taken
initiatives to introduce outstanding Parliamentarian Award, commence broadcasting Lok
Sabha Proceedings including the live broadcast of the Question Hour of both Houses of
the Parliament, build the Parliament Library building, etc. Shri Shivraj ji’s love for
books is well known, he is widely known to be a voracious reader. You will all
experience his scholarship of thought and wisdom during his address today. We are
fortunate that he accepted our invitation for the Convocation this year.

        On a personal note, I may add that a nephew of Shri Shivraj ji Patil had done his Ph.D.
in Physics from Bombay University in late 1980s and for a while he worked with me at
TIFR, Mumbai and we wrote several papers together. I have known about him from his
nephew, when he was incharge of the Science Departments in the Union Government.

        With this, I welcome all of you once again to the 63rd P.U. Convocation.

Arun K Grover