Guru Tegh Bahadur Chair at Punjabi University suffers neglect amid funding row
Established in 1993 as the National Integration Chair and renamed in 2005 to honour the ninth Sikh Guru, the Chair was intended to promote research and awareness of Guru Tegh Bahadur's philosophy, sacrifice, and teachings. However, it has suffered from severe underfunding and administrative apathy over the years.
From 1993 to 1996, the Chair was independently headed by Prof H S Deol. Since then, it operated under ad hoc arrangements, with additional charge handed to university faculty due to persistent financial constraints.
In 2024, the Chair was formally attached to the history department, with its head Dr Sandeep Kaur serving as its in-charge.
"Two books have been published focusing on Guru Tegh Bahadur's life and teachings, and a third is expected to release around the 350th martyrdom anniversary. We have also conducted 14 annual lectures under the Shaheed Nanak Singh Memorial Lecture series, and a week-long workshop was held in 2013," Dr Kaur said.
Former in-charge Daljit Singh, who served for eight years, said eight books were published during his tenure.
Yet, faculty members lament the Chair's lack of autonomy and consistent financial backing. "Only an initial grant of about Rs 5 lakh was allocated by Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee in 2005, with no fresh funds sanctioned thereafter," a senior professor said. "A dedicated head and proper funding could have vastly amplified its impact, particularly for research on Guru Tegh Bahadur's travels," the professor added.
Despite recent eagerness to commemorate the Guru's martyrdom, a university delegation's oral request for funding was reportedly denied.
Punjabi University vice-chancellor Dr Jagdeep Singh confirmed efforts to secure support. "We have written to the central govt requesting a grant of around Rs 10 crore and also sought Rs 5crore from the state govt to revive the Chair and support research," he said. "However, since the Chair was originally established by the Centre, funding has become entangled in Centre-state dynamics," he added.
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