India Guru Nanak Dev University To Have Satguru Ram Singh Chair

[Archived_Member16]

Guru Nanak Dev University to have Satguru Ram Singh Chair
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, October 25
Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal gave approval for budgetary allocation of funds to the already existing chair in the name of Satguru Ram Singh at Guru Nanak Dev University in Amritsar to perpetuate his teachings and philosophy across the globe.

A decision to this effect was taken by Badal while presiding over a meeting of Kuka Martyrs Memorial Trust led by its president Baba Surinder Singh Namdhari at his official residence here late last evening.

Badal reviewed the progress of various programmes initiated by the state government to commemorate the 150 years of martyrdom of the great Kuka martyrs during the freedom struggle.

The Chief Minister told the Finance Department to release a grant of Rs 20 lakh for the existing chair at GNDU during the current financial year and also asked it to make regular budgetary provision from next fiscal year to ensure smooth functioning of the chair.

source: http://www.tribuneindia.com/2011/20111026/punjab.htm#13

 

[spnadmin]

Some background is needed to understand the import of this development. Satguru Ram Singh Maharaj is his full name. Yet...we have only one satguru who is maharaj and this is Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji. It is very difficult to write in the negative about this development because of the social reform and the martyrdom which the Namdari, the sect which he led, can certainly claim and should. But to the ordinary observer this cannot be a simple decision without controversy. The schools overseen by SGPC have a mandate, but what is it? Is it to move Sikhism in a direction that no longer considers one everlasting satguru, given us by Dasam Pita? The 10th Guru Nanak died in 1708, and left no human successors. This is an historical fact which is disputed by the sect that claims a human satguru. The 10th Guru Nanak made a statement with that... that principles over personalities should guide his Sikhs, that he was present whenever 5 Sikhs were gathered together, that the spiritual guidance of the khalsa came from Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji. the final satguru. This is a very strange development. Yet I may be missing an important point.

 

[Kanwaljit.Singh]

to perpetuate his teachings and philosophy across the globe.

Would this mean pushing forward a totally different agenda?

 

[Tejwant Singh]

I had no idea that this chair already existed, "the already existing chair in the name of Satguru Ram Singh at Guru Nanak Dev University in Amritsar".

In the US, any academic chair is done by private funding. I did not know that the state Govt can finance it as in this case.

It is sad to notice that Sikhi is being prostituted by Badal and Company for the Kukas' (Namdhari) votes.

Where is the outrage in India?