CHANDIGARH- April 09, 2010: Panjab University, Chandigarh organized Dr. V.N. Tewari Memorial Lecture which was delivered by Sh. M. Hamid Ansari, Hon’ble Vice-President of India and Chancellor, Panjab University, Chandigarh and presided over by Sh. Shivraj V. Patil, H.E. Governor of Punjab & Administrator, Union Territory, Chandigarh at the University Auditorium. Sh. Pawan Kumar Bansal, Minister for Parliamentary Affairs & Water Resources, Sh. Bhupinder Singh Hooda, Hon’ble Chief Minister, Haryana and Sh. Manish Tewari, Member of Parliament and Congress Spokesman were the Guests of Honour.
Extending a hearty welcome to the dignitaries, Prof. R.C. Sobti, the Vice-Chancellor, Panjab University briefly narrated the Gandhian frame work of values such as Swaraj, Satyagarah and Sarvodaya (Welfare of All) which inform the major achievements and policies of Panjab University. The measures, such as, Prof. Sobti said, 5% reservation of seats for full freeship for the poorest students, free education for the specially-abled students, no fee hike for the students in all courses, payments of 30% arrears to Panjab University employees despite financial crunch, prudent financial management of University resources, creation of about 500 positions in the University for employment etc. have a distinct Gandhian flavour. Paying tribute to the memory of Dr. V.N. Tewari, Prof. R.C. Sobti regaled the audience by citing the famous lines of Firaq, Gorakhpuri and of Shaheed Bhagat Singh. Dr. Sobti also screened a film on the Panjab University’s “Quest for Excellence; from 1880’s to the Present Day” to the delight of the audience.
In his enlightening speech, Sh. Manish Tewari, Member of Parliament and Congress Spokesman emphasized that Dr. V.N. Tewari stood for the indivisibility of Punjabi Ethics and he consecrated it with his own sacrifice. Sh. Manish Tewari told that the Indian civilization ideals of Sarva–Dharma Samabhav (Equal respect for all religions) and Vasudhaiva Kutumbkam (All world is one family) were embraced by Sh. V.N. Tewari as a Writer and a Parliamentarian in real sense. Sh. Manish Tewari also highlighted the urgent need to recontextualize India’s ancient value system against the backdrop of globality and constant erosion of moral values.
Sh. Shivraj Patil, H.E. Governor of Punjab & Administrator, Union Territory, Chandigarh, also paid homage to Dr. V.N. Tewari by saying that through his poetics and politics he stood for removal of all kinds of injustices for the establishment of a just Society, a just Nation and a just World.
Sh. M. Hamid Ansari, Hon’ble Vice-President of India and Chancellor, Panjab University, Chandigarh while delivering the late Dr. V.N. Tewari Memorial Lecture on ‘Private Ethics and Public Morality’ stressed the role of Dr. Tewari in strengthening the academic frame-work and improving the administrative structures in the University. Sh. Hamid Ansari focused on the private ethics and public morality that under pinned the philosophy of India’s nationhood. Decrying the devil i.e. rapid erosion of moral and ethical values in the legislative, administrative and judicial domains, he laid stress on such values as Dharma (Righteousness), Artha (Politics and Economy), private ethics and public morality for the growth and survival of any nation. He quoted Bertrand Russell “Without civic morality; communities perish’ without personal morality their survival is of no value. Therefore civic and personal morality are equally necessary to a good world”.
Sh. Hamid Ansari quoted Gandhiji’s “Seven social sins” Amartya Sen’s social realization and Kautilya who asserted that “a king who flouts the teachings of Dharmashastras and the Arthashastra ruins the kingdom by his own injustice”. He concluded his speech by identifying the five elements of public morality namely the spirit of optimism, the courage of conviction, the pursuit and dispensation of impartial justice, upholding the rule of law and a sense of empathy and compassion for the suffering humanity.
The Vice-Chancellor R.C. Sobti presented the mementos to the Guests of Honour and thanked all the guests for making the event a great success.