Panjab University to hold fifth global alumni meet on Dec 21

This year, Panjab University has planned to honour the golden and silver jubilee batches of 1974 and 1999; PU chancellor and Vice-President of India Jagdeep Dhankhar is expected to attend the event

Panjab University (PU) will hold its fifth global alumni meet on December 21. The event, expected to draw over 1,500 alumni, will bring together alumni to reminisce about their student days. The meet will reflect PU’s strong alumni network and its ongoing efforts to foster connections and raise funds for the university’s growth.

Departments have already begun alumni registrations, and some of the departments, including University Business School (UBS) are organising department-specific events ahead of the main event. (HT File)

PU chancellor and Vice-President of India Jagdeep Dhankhar is expected to attend the event.

This year, the university has planned to honour the golden and silver jubilee batches of 1974 and 1999.

Departments have already begun alumni registrations, and some of the departments, including University Business School (UBS) are organising department-specific events ahead of the main event. The UBS will hold its alumni meet on December 14, with UT home secretary Mandip Singh Brar as the chief guest, alongside guests of honour Preety Kumar, managing partner of Amrop India; Sumit Rai, managing director and CEO of Edelweiss Life Insurance; and Nitin Burman, group chief revenue officer, Balaji Telefilms.

Distinguished PU alumni expected at the December 21 event include former Meghalaya governor KK Paul, former governor of Puducherry Kiran Bedi and former IPS officer Atul Karwal. Kirron Kher, former member of parliament (MP) of Chandigarh and current MP of Chandigarh Manish Tewari are also expected to attend the event.

Last year, PU chancellor Dhankhar had emphasised the need for increased alumni donations, setting a target of ₹100 crore.

Dhankhar in his address in the last annual convocation held on March 31 had said that the alumni network of Panjab University is underperforming and not giving enough donations to the varsity.

PU vice-chancellor Prof Renu Vig said that alumni donations will be a key focus at this year’s meet. “Alumni donation happens throughout the year and this year we have been able to get donations along similar lines as compared to last year, Vig said, adding that the university aims to attract donations on par with those received by the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) from their alumni.

This year, donations are estimated to range between ₹ 5 to ₹10 crore. Last year, around ₹6 crore was raised in the lead-up to the event. Among the contributors, Dr Arun Verma, a 1966-batch alumnus, made the biggest ever contribution, donating ₹3.5 crore to establish a pilot lab at Dr SS Bhatnagar University Institute of Chemical Engineering & Technology.

Dr Verma, along with his brother Arvind Verma, had completed BTech from the institute. The block has been named after the two brothers.

Dr Verma is the chairman and CEO of Nova Asset Management, USA.

Prior to this, the highest donation was made by Dr Harvansh Singh Judge to set up a dental institute in PU. He had donated around ₹2 crore, university officials said.

Last year, Paul Oswal, chairman and MD of Vardhman Group, had donated ₹1 crore to University Institute of Engineering and Technology (UIET). Rajya Sabha member Vikram Sahney donated ₹1 crore to the varsity. Also, Om Jindal alumnus of University Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences (UIPS) had donated around ₹41.58 lakh.