First virtual Alumni Meet, titled, “Re-Connect & Re-vive, 2021”, held

Chandigarh: The Department cum Centre for Women’s Studies & Development(DCWSD), Panjab University, Chandigarh, organised its first virtual Alumni Meet, titled, “Re-Connect & Re-vive, 2021”, under the aegis of the Global Alumni Meet, 2021. The objective of the meet was to invite the alumni back to the alma mater for an online get together to relive the old memories, reunite and cherish all the precious moments spent together and re-strengthen the old networking. It is a time to reminisce and celebrate the achievements of each other.

Dr. Rajesh Kumar Chander, Chairperson, D.C.W.S.D., welcomed the alumni and narrated the highlights of the department. As the department is focusing on research, with more than thirty research scholars currently on rolls of the department, about twelve have been awarded Ph.D. degrees, including foreign student. Three innovative programmes, meeting the demands of the policy makers and academia were started in the recent years, i.e., Masters and Certificate Programs in Governance & Leadership, Diploma in Women’s Studies, where there is almost an equal male, female ratio of students, etc. He motivated the alumni to enrol as members of Panjab University alumni, so that strategic envisioning of alumni relations can be strengthened further.

The illustrious alumni, in the interaction, turned nostalgic by observing that, it is a wonderful feeling for all of them to be back in their alma mater. The alumni- male as well as female, shared their rich learning experiences in the department, and how their gender sensitisation in the department led to the transformation of their patriarchal mindsets. The alumni of the department recounted the paradigm shift in their attitudes, and how they became more gender inclusive and egalitarian, in their outlook.

The success stories of the alumni in the diverse fields of administration, teaching, research, Non-Governmental Organisations, Women & Child Development, Govt. of Haryana, Chandigarh Social welfare Department, Commonwealth, to name a few, were shared. The alumni also chipped in with cultural performances, like reciting inspiring poetry of Nida Fazli, singing songs/poems on the theme of gender equality, sharing personal experiences of empowerment and positive change.

Prof. Pam Rajput, Founder Director, of the Department in her illuminating remarks, recounted how the department (formerly a centre), which had a humble beginning, in the year 1987, has developed into a full fledged department running multiple courses, and catering to the ever-changing needs of the society through research, extension and dissemination. She exhorted the faculty and research scholars to organise more programmes on better generation of employment opportunities, gender sensitisation, for the overall benefits of the society.

The two hours long interaction, attended online by a large number of alumni, concluded with a vote of thanks by Dr. Rajesh. He profusely thanked the organisers of the event i.e., Prof. Raj Kumar, Honourable Vice-Chancellor, D.U.I., Dean (Research), Dean (Alumni Relations), PUAA, faculty of the Department, Non-teaching Staff, all the alumni, Student Coordinators, research scholars, students, for their kind guidance, motivation, co-operation for the successful organising of the event. He concluded by saying that more seminars/conferences/workshops, alumni meets can be organised in the offline mode in the future.