Patiala News:Punjabis are neglecting their scholarly heritage – Prof. Harpal Singh Pannu

-Monthly book distribution from the language department

The Punjab Language Department organized a monthly ‘Book Meet’ today as part of its campaign to promote interest in books among its officers and employees. During which eminent scholar Prof. Harpal Singh Pannu attended as a special guest. Director Languages Jaswant Singh Zafar said in his welcome speech that in the digital age, books are with us everywhere, due to which reading has become very easy. We can read them anytime and anywhere through phone or iPad, all that is needed is interest. Personalities like Prof. Harpal Singh Pannu have become oceans of knowledge by reading books. He appealed to the officers and employees of the department to set an example for the people to promote book culture.
Prof. Harpal Singh Pannu said that we have come from a land where our ancestors had composed the Vedas at a time when the rest of the world had not yet learned how to wear clothes. Therefore, we can say with great pride that our forefathers were very rich in intellectual terms. It is a pity that we are showing very little interest in preserving our scholarly heritage and taking advantage of it. Moreover, we are even shying away from asserting our rights over our intellectual heritage. He said that such great scriptures have been composed in our region, from which many scriptures can be created. We are unaware of many of our scriptures, which foreign scholars have valued by translating them into their own languages. He said that we are the heirs of sages like Guru Nanak Dev Ji, who always kept pen, ink and writing paper with them. Regarding reading books, he said that a book is a treasure that a learned person creates by accumulating a lot of knowledge. Therefore, like a good song, a good book should be read repeatedly, which teaches us the value of life.
Finally, Prof. Harpal Singh Pannu was honored with a departmental shawl and a set of books. The stage was conducted by Research Officer Dr. Sukhdarshan Singh Chahal. On this occasion, Additional Director of the Department Chandandeep Kaur, Deputy Director Alok Chawla, Assistant Director Jaspreet Kaur, Surinder Kaur, Padma Shri Pran Sabharwal, Eng. Jotinder Singh, Dr. Kuldeep Singh, Dr. Manju Midha Arora, poet Avtarjit Singh, Amritpal Shaida, Gurmeet Singh and singer Neela Khan along with a large number of audience were present.