Narinder
Chandigarh: Panjab University's Srimanta Sankardev Chair, with the support of the Government of Assam, organized this event. On the first day, a declamation contest was held at PU's Sanskrit department, in which students from Sanskrit, Hindi, and Police Administration departments participated. The contest featured topics such as social transformation and the bhakti movement, religious teachings of Srimanta Sankardev, and his contributions as a social reformer.
The chief guests were renowned scholars from Assam, Dr. Sanjib Kumar Borkakoti, Dr. Suryakant Tripathi, and Dr. Karabi Devi.
Prof. Yojna Rawat, the coordinator of the Srimanta Sankardev Chair, said that the chair had recently been established, and various events would be organized to spread the message of bhakti given by Srimanta Sankardev. On the second day of the event, March 14th, a national seminar will be held at PU's Golden Jubilee Hall, where the winners of the declamation contest will be awarded cash prizes.
Dr. Suryakant Tripathi expressed his happiness with the event and said that the participants showed a good level of understanding of Srimanta Sankardev's life and contributions.
Prof. V. K. Alankar, Academic Incharge of PU's Sanskrit department, sang Sanskrit verses composed by him on Srimanta Sankardev. Prof. Ashok Kumar, the Professor of Kalidasa Chair, and faculty members of the Sanskrit department, Dr. Shivaji Pandey, Dr. Satyan Sharma, and Mr. Vijay Bharadwaj were also present at the event. Research scholars of Sanskrit and Hindi departments also participated in the event.
Winners of the competition:
First prize: Abhishek Bhatt (MA Sanskrit)
Second prize: Ankush Kalsiya (MA Police Administration)
Third prize: Nikhil (MA Hindi)
1st consolation prize: Vasundhra (MA Sanskrit)
2nd consolation prize: Madhvi (MA Sanskrit).