National Seminar on life and contributions of Srimanta Sankaradeva in Panjab University, Chandigarh

A National Seminar on life and contributions of Srimanta Sankaradeva was held in Panjab University, Chandigarh under the aegis of the Srimanta Sankaradeva chair attached to the Sanskrit department. The Sanskrit department and Hindi department jointly organised the event. I was invited to this event as a resource person.

A declamation contest was held on the first day, 13th March, 2023 on the topic of Srimanta Sankaradeva. Students of Panjab University participated in this contest. Prof Suryakant Tripathy and Dr Karabi Devi were the judges. Five prizes were awarded, two of which were sponsored by me.

On 14th March, the main seminar was held in the Golden Jubilee Hall. It was attended by the students, researchers and faculty members of the university. 

The seminar was inaugurated by Prof Renu Vig, Vice Chancellor of Panjab University. She thanked Govt of Assam for sponsoring the chair. Earlier Prof Yojna Rawat, the co-ordinator of the Srimanta Sankaradeva chair gave welcome address, introduced the resource persons and explained the objectives of the seminar. I had the priviledge of lighting the inaugural lamp alongwith other dignitaries.

After the key-note address by Prof Suryakant Tripathy of Tezpur University, I was invited to speak. I started with the statement of Mahatma Gandhi that he had nothing to give Assam as Srimanta Sankaradeva had already achieved the Ram-Rajya he was dreaming of to establish. Then I went on to describe the pan-Indian contributions of the saint.

In addition to me, Dr Karabi Devi from Nagaon College and Prof Arun Hota from Kolkata University also spoke in the seminar. Then papers were presented by the students of the university. Prof V. K. Alankar recited a Sanskrit poem he composed on the great saint. Dr Chaman Lal Gupt, former Director of Indian Institute of Advanced Study Centre said that Srimanta Sankaradeva should be the ideal for everyone.