International meet on Bhai Vir Singh inaugurated
Amritsar, July 15
A five-day international conference dedicated to the 150th birth centenary of Bhai Vir Singh was inaugurated by Naad Pragas, a literary organization at Punjab University, Chandigarh. This conference was organised by research institute of Naad Pragas and the Department of Guru Nanak Sikh Studies of Panjab University. During this conference, 64 research papers were presented by scholars and researchers from different universities.
Former vice-chancellor of Guru Nanak Dev University Dr SP Singh presided over the inaugural session. He said Bhai Veer Singh was a stalwart of Gurmukh-constructive thinking and perspective of Gurmati. “Bhai Vir Singh’s personality is that of a social creator and Punjabi academia has taken an irresponsible attitude towards his personality and work. Educational systems should be established keeping Bhai Vir Singh’s perspective in mind, with focus on social construction through educated human beings rather than just churning out graduates.”
Punjab University (Chandigarh) Vice-Chancellor Prof Renu Vig and Harsh Nair attended the occasion and appreciated this conference. Vig said, “I read Bhai Veer Singh in my childhood through his novel Sundari, the image of which has become fresh through this conference. I hope that a good debate can emerge through this conference.”
Dr Rumina Sethi, DUI of the university, said the contribution of Bhai Veer Singh could not be denied in the thought process of academia. She said Bhai Vir Singh was a personality in dialogue with modernity, which even emerged through his works and the continuity of cultural values could be seen. Dr. Balkar Singh, Director of World Punjabi Center of Punjabi University, Patiala, said Bhai Vir Singh was a personality who needed to be considered in the present perspective rather than in the past. “But the politics of extreme rightists and extreme leftists have dominated his vision and his body of work,” he maintained.
Guru Nanak Sikh Studies Department Chairperson Prof Gurpal Singh Sandhu moderated the forum and on this occasion, two books — Bhai Vir Singh’s translation of ‘Socrates’ Trial’, Golden Feathers and a quarterly magazine ‘Makrand’ were released.
