(Ravinder Singh Dhindsa)
Sri Guru Granth Sahib World University, Fatehgarh Sahib, in collaboration with the Sikh Education Council, UK organised a conference on Sri Guru Granth Sahib: Multi-Disciplinary Perspectives. The conference was inaugurated by the University Chancellor Advocate Harjinder Singh Dhami, President of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee. The conference began with the recitation of the "Mool Mantar." Commending the University’s annual initiative, Adv. Dhami stated that Guru Granth Sahib provides guidance for every Sikh's life and encourages every Sikh to live according to the Sikh Rehat Maryada. He urged University officials to widely disseminate the Conference's message. The event’s theme, "Sri Guru Granth Sahib: Multi-Disciplinary Perspectives," emphasized the broader expectations of the Khalsa Panth from the World University.
Presiding over the opening session, Vice-Chancellor Professor Prit Pal Singh remarked that Gurbani offers profound guidance not only in spirituality but also in areas like psychology, society, politics, education, environment, ethics, philosophy, and human rights. He shared that the University’s departments are striving to understand their respective fields through the lens of Gurbani, with efforts being made in research and publication.Pro-Chancellor Professor Ajaib Singh Brar stressed the need for learning from Gurbani even in fields like science, management, and technology. Notably, Professor Gurnam Singh, an esteemed scholar of Gurmat Sangeet and a speaker from the Guru Nanak Institute of Global Studies, Canada, praised the conference for addressing the world’s need for the guidance and inspiration of Gurbani. He commended the initiative, emphasizing that understanding and embodying the teachings of Guru Granth Sahib is essential. Representing the Sikh Education Council, UK, Dr. Avtar Singh congratulated both the national and international delegates participating in the conference. He highlighted the individual and social benefits of research and study on Gurbani. Welcoming the guests, Professor Sukhwinder Singh Billing, Dean Academic Affairs, shared that a large number of scholars and researchers from the USA, Canada, Germany, and the UK, as well as from various parts of India, were presenting papers at the conference.
He mentioned that the proceedings of the University's first international conference have already been published, and select papers from this conference will also be published. Co-convener Dr. Hardev Singh, Head of the Department of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Studies, informed that following the inaugural session, four technical sessions would be held on topics including language, society, history, political science, and education, with four additional offline and two online sessions scheduled for the following day. Professor Jaspal Kaur Kang, from the Department of Religious Studies, extended thanks to the scholars, guests, and delegates who attended the inaugural session. The conference was attended by notable figures including Dr. Sikander Singh, Dean Students' Welfare; Dr. Ankdeep Kaur from the English Department; Dr. Harneet Billing, Head of the Education Department; Dr. Nav Shagun Deep Kaur, Head of the Sociology Department; Registrar Professor Tejbir Singh; Jagdeep Singh Cheema; Avtar Singh Rea; Gurdeep Singh Kang; and various other scholars from across departments and universities. The scholars and guests commended the quality and relevance of the research papers presented, recognizing the conference as a milestone for interdisciplinary studies on Gurbani.