Online Gandhi Jayanti celebration at PU

Chandigarh: The Department of Gandhian Studies, Panjab University Chandigarh in collaboration with the Bodhicitta Centre of Ms. Kamal Malhi and with Dr. Arun Bansal of Social Substance organized the interfaith and inter religious prayer meeting via online Zoom meeting with the prayer and bhajan (Vaishanav Jan to Tene Kahiye) of Mahatma Gandhi by Mrs. Primila Puri and Mrs. Chandrika Budhiraja. After that the Buddhist prayer and mindful meditation by Lama Yeshe, peace lesson by BK sister Neha Brahma Kumari, prayer of Sikh faith by Sardar Gurpreet Singh, teachings of Sufism by Ms. Sahaya Jeevan, catholic diocese by father Premanand from Shimla, message of Art of living by Capt. Brij Paul Singh and dance performance by Mrs. Nandita Dhanoa. In the end Dr. Manish Sharma, Chairperson, Department of Gandhian and Peace Studies proposed vote of thanks to all for attending and participating in the prayer meetings and mediation session of the ‘Peace Within, Peace Without’
In the afternoon, the second online special lecture event started in collaboration with the Panjab University Alumni Association of Professor Suresh Misra on “Sustainable Lifestyle in a Pandemic World: A Gandhian Approach”. 

The Chairperson of the Department Dr. Manish Sharma introduced all the dignitaries and also shared the working and achievements of the week long celebrations started from 28th September, 2020 to 2nd October, 2020 with regard to the Commemoration of Jayanti of Mahatma Gandhi. 

The Vice Chancellor,Prof Raj Kumar in his address, highlighted the importance of the day by explaining the history of the Mahatma Gandhi and Lal Bhadur Shastri and their contribution in the freedom struggle. PU VC said that in the present times when everyone is preparing oneself and nation to respond to the direct health impacts of the COVID-19 coronavirus, those of us who work on reducing violence and preventing conflict are also feeling the heat. The coronavirus pandemic is already producing knock-on effects for safety at the individual level, the community level, as well as on international levels.

Recognizing and naming the risks we face is imperative, as is highlighting the positive steps being taken to reinforce peaceful resilience, to remind ourselves of our common humanity, and to re-invest in the international systems of cooperation that are more critical now than at any time in the past decade. It has been observed that on different platforms especially at six grey areas we should be prioritizing from a conflict and violence perspective, followed by a roadmap to help us chart a pathway forward:
1. Increases in domestic and intimate partner violence
2. An increase in firearms deaths
3. Increased violence resulting from lack of trust
4. We will see an increase in human rights abuses
5. Fear will be used to incite violence
6. Extreme number of displaced persons will suffer even more
 
In his address, Professor Nawal Kishore Ambasht who started the pioneering work on ‘Tribal Education’ in the early 1966 while narrating that he is fortunate enough to see Gandhi ji in person while he was moving for a peace mission in Noakhali and had taken his blessings, which changed his life. He also redefined the concept of ‘Satyagraha’ and its difference with the ‘Passive -Resistance’. Satyagraha can be used for the mass mobilization as well as the resolving the conflicts of many issues. He also asked the teachers to reintroduce the concept of Gandhian philosophy via the curriculum as the concept of Values, Life and Thought, attitude of mind, living together concept and especially of Peace when incorporated in the system then the results will be more visible in terms of Gandhian ideology and the same is added via the New Education Policy of 2020.     

In his special lecture, Prof. Suresh Misra, Professor of Public Administration & Chair Professor & Coordinator Centre for Consumer Studies and Project Director, NCH & SCHKRMP, Indian Institute of Public Administration, New Delhi, while speaking on “Sustainable Lifestyle in a Pandemic World: A Gandhian Approach”,  stressed COVID-19 is the greatest humanitarian challenge to the world since World War II and it has been observed that this disease is created and spread by the rich but the poor are the most affected one. And it has also changed the Attitude and behavior towards the purchasing and consumption pattern of the masses throughout the world. Greed has replaced need concept. He discussed how COVID-19 pandemic is triggering for taking serious action and making policies towards sustainable development which is a combination of both sustainable lifestyle and sustainable consumerism. He said that the initiative for this must start with the students who can draw an action plan for sustainable development and who can spread the message of sustainability. Besides the mantra for this lies in 5Rs – Refuse, Reuse, Reduce, Recycle and Rethink. He suggested an action plan for sustainable living with a focus on changing attitudes, saving water, fuel, electrical energy, food and use of chemicals. He concluded by saying that now is the time to reverse the adverse effects of consumerism and that Gandhi is more relevant today than it was in the past as Gandhi has very rightly said that “The World has enough for everyone’s needs but not for everyone’s greed.” And the Sustainable Development has to be with Sustainable Production and Sustainable Consumption which is reflected via the UNDP Sustainable Development Goals.

On this occasion Best Mali Award for the year 2020 awarded to Sh. Subedar Yadav, the prize includes a cash award of Rs. 2100/- with certificate. After that the results of the on the spot Slogan Writing Competition and also of the Poem Recitation Competition were announced as following:

Prizes of the On the Spot Slogan Writing Competition

Prizes of the Poem Recitation Competition
 
Prize                                                                    Name of  the Participant

Special Consolation (Cash award of Rs. 300/)           Shaurya
Consolation (Cash award of Rs. 300/)                        Dishant Bansal
3rd (Cash award of Rs. 500/)                                      Jainam P. Modi
2nd (Cash award of Rs. 750/)                                     Anusha
1st(Cash award of Rs. 1000/)             Simran Kaur,1st Year,BA Bed,PU
 
In the end Professor Deepti Gupta, Dean, Alumni Association, PU proposed a vote of thanks to all for participating in the week long events and helping in all the events for the smooth functioning and working of the events.