Chandigarh April 16, 2023
Panjab University Alumni Association (PUAA) in collaboration with Panjab University Chandigarh Alumni Association, Delhi (PUCAA) organized their first collective networking dinner on March 15, 2023 at Alumni House ground, PU, Chandigarh. Prof. RenuVig, Vice Chancellor Punjab University was the Chief guest for the event and the many high profile dignitaries attended the event including Member of Parliament Mr. Rajiv Pratap Rudy, Member of Parliament; Sh. Dharam Pal, IAS, Adviser to Administrator, UTChandigarh, Dr. Anmol Rattan Sidhu, Senior advocate and former Advocate General, Punjaband Chairman PUCAA; Sh. Kuljit Singh Nagra, Member of Legislative Assembly from Fatehgarh Sahib, Punjab, Justice Siddhu Panjab and Haryana HC, senior bureaucrats from Haryana and Punjab and judges. Member of governing council, Panjab University, Senior university officials and head of various departments and centers of Panjab University were also present.
Prof. Anupama Sharma, Dean Alumni Relations, Panjab University started the event by extending a warm welcome to all guests and dignitaries. She said that we are highly delighted by the tremendous response to our invitation at such a short notice and seek similar favours to our future endeavours. She further reiterated that all the alumni are our much valued possession and ambassadors and we crave for their continued association with Panjab University.
Mr. Ravindra Singh Sheoran, President of PUCAA congratulated Prof. RenuVig for being appointed as the first woman Vice Chancellor of Panjab University. He said that we have a lot of good memories associated with the university and thanked PUAA for organising this event due to which they all have a chance to gather at one place after a long time.
Sh. Dharam Pal, IAS, Advisor to UK administration, also complimented Prof. RenuVig for her accomplishments and said that it is privilege for the university to have first women Vice-Chancellor. He recollected from his student days that how hard working and passionate Prof. Renu was. He said that under herable leadership, we are sure thatPU will scale newer heights of excellence.
Chairman of Panjab University Chandigarh Alumni Association, Mr. Anmol Rattan Sidhu thanked alumni for their presence and contributions and sought the support of different PU Alumni chapters for their collaboration to make Panjab University among the best university globally. He briefed about the genesis of PUCAA and how it has grown to more than 1500 members. He also shared about the events PUCAA has organized in recent past.
Working President of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee, Mr. Kuljit Singh Nagra said in his address that it was a great experience to meet old university friends through such an event. He congratulated Prof. RenuVig and said Vice Chancellor always has a great role in the progress of the university. Teachers and the non- Teaching Staff are the backbone of the university. The more we’ll listen to them, the more effective will be our administration. University has given a lot of stalwarts to this country. We all must work for the betterment of this so that the trend may continue. Hopes of the generations are associated with the university.
The gathering was then addressed by the Honorable Vice Chancellor of Panjab University Prof. RenuVig. She thanked all for their greetings and their arrival to make this event a great success. She said we have a lot of alumni associations of Panjab University in cities inside and outside our country. As multiple groups and associations having umbilical cord with PU are operating independently, many of them representing departments, affiliated colleges, geographical domains, professions and similar other affinities, some sort of collaboration and integration in a synergistic manner can reap rich dividends for all the stakeholders. She reiterated that we solicit ideas and action points to carry forward rich legacy of PU and working in tandem. She emphasized that it’s a big challenge to bring them all under one umbrella but we should work towards making a federation of all associations. We have alumni in all fields including sports, entertainment, politics, research, bureaucracy, etc. We need to connect with them. Students will get motivated after interacting with these alumni.
Member of Parliament from Chapra, Bihar, Mr. Rajiv Paratap Rudy (Co-Chairman, PUCAA) told attendees about his entire journey from Patna to Panjab University and then ultimately to the Parliament of India. He shared stories of his college days when he was the president of the student council at DAV College Chandigarh. Shared memories of the era of 80’s in Punjab when he was active in student politics. He said Panjab University has a big role in forming his personality. He said that I learnt different subjects from the professors but the most important lesson that these professors taught me was humanity. They made me a good human for which I’ll always be thankful to Panjab University, which is the best university in India and will remain the best. He said that this is an emotional evening for him. He emphasized that Chandigarh is not the same Chandigarh. It has lost its greenery. He expressed that we need to work for its greenery and should conduct plantation drives. We must take it as Crusades.
Former Chief Secretary of Haryana Government, Mrs. Kesari Anand Arora said that University is like my home because my entire family was associated with this university. She congratulated Prof. RenuVig and both the Alumni Associations for organizing this successful event and bringing together alumni and officials of the university.
Other notable luminaries present during the event were Dr. K.K.Khandelwal, Chairman, HARERA; Dheera Khandelwal, IAS; Himanshu Jain, IAS; Ashika Jain, IAS; Sushil Sarwan, IAS; Rajiv Gupta, IAS; Surender Deswal, Advocate, Supreme Court of India, Pawan Basatiya IPS, Dr. R. K. Gupta, Vice Chancellor, Agrasen University, Baddi, Dr. Pushvinder Singh, CEO, Tynor; Mr. Anirudh Saraswat, Co-Founder, Oriana Power; Mr. Varun Jain, Tarun Jain, VP and Managing Director at Dario Health and other executive committee members of PUAA.
President of PUCAA, Mr. Ravindra Singh Sheoran wrapped up the event on a note of gratitude. The collaborative event was a great success which ended up with a dinner.
