700 delegates for history congress
Tribune News Service

PATIALA, Dec 27 — Delegates have started pouring into Punjabi University here to take part in the 59th session of the three-day Indian history conference which is being inaugurated by the Punjab Governor, Lt-Gen (retd) B.K.N. Chhibber, tomorrow.

The congress, which is being organised by the Department of Punjab Historical Studies after a gap of 31 years in the university, is expected to draw 700 delegates with few coming from abroad, local Secretary Parm Bakshish Singh disclosed here today.

Dr Singh said at the inaugural session tomorrow the university Vice-Chancellor, Dr Joginder Singh Puar, would give the welcome address followed by the presidential address by Dr Partha Sarthi Gupta of Delhi University, Delhi. He said later in the evening prominent historian Prof Satish Chandra would give the S.C. Mishra memorial lecture "Modern historical writing in the 17th and 18th centuries".

He said the following day Prof V.N. Dutta would present his paper on the Radcliffe Boundary Award (Punjab) and Prof W.E. Bagley would present a special lecture on the Taj Mahal. He said Dr Bipin Chandra would also read a paper. He said a symposium on our cultural heritage would be held later in the evening in which Dr Kapila Vatsayan, Prof K.S. Shrimali and Prof Naraini Gupta would take part.

Dr Parm Bakshish Singh disclosed that on December 30 former Prime Minister I.K. Gujral would present a special lecture on "the formation of free India's foreign policy". He said a symposium on "the medieval town" would also be held on December 30 in which the participants would be Prof Irfan Habib, Prof J.S. Grewal and Prof Anuridha Ray.

Meanwhile sources disclosed that politicking had already started for the election of new office-bearers of the congress. They said attempts were being made to provide separate accommodation for pro-BJP delegates by the RSS lobby. The congress is dominated by Leftists.