CUPB fraternity participated in the Unity Pledge and Run for Unity events to mark Rashtriya Ekta Diwas
Bathinda : The faculty, staff members and officers of the university participated in a series of activities, viz., Unity Pledge, Run for Unity; Poster Making Competition and a Special Lecture to commemorate Rashtriya Ekta Diwas, the 147th birth anniversary of the Iron Man of India, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.
To mark the occasion of ‘Rashtriya Ekta Diwas’, the faculty and staff members took a determined oath to preserve the unity, integrity and security of the nation, administered by Prof. Raghavendra P. Tiwari, Vice-Chancellor, CUPB.
This was followed by a special lecture by Prof. Vivekanand Tiwari, Chair Professor, H.P. University, Shimla. He spoke on the topic of “Sanatan Parampara evam Rashtriya Ekta ke Samvahak Sardar Patel”.
Speaking on the occasion, Prof. Vivekanand Tiwari said, “We are a nation connected to our culture and heritage. Our Sanatan Dharama teaches us to live life in harmony with nature, following the virtues such as honesty, refraining from injuring living beings, purity, goodwill, mercy, patience, forbearance, self-restraint, generosity, and asceticism. Our country’s economy has been dependent on self-reliant villages since times immemorial and the entire world has learnt lessons from the Bharatiya Way of Living Life during the times of COVID-19.
“Sardar Patel was born into a family that valued ancient Indian practises and traditions. He was always an avid advocate of the importance of reviving and safeguarding the knowledge and richness of Indian culture. He had a great grasp of law and administration, and he envisioned many of the big projects, including the Sardar Sarovar, which was eventually completed in a few decades. “He was an avid advocate of continuing to engage civil servants in building India post-independence and engaging their knowledge in transforming the vision of a powerful India that would eventually emerge as a world leader,” Prof. Vivekanand Tiwari said.
Prof. Vivekanand Tiwari highlighted that Sardar Patel was one of the foremost pillars of the national struggle for freedom. In 1931, he was elected President of the Indian Nation Congress at its Karachi Session. He also outlined how Sardar Patel worked with the royal families in India to convince them to come and become a part of India.
In his presidential address, Prof. R.P. Tiwari highlighted that Sardaar Patel played a vital role in the amalgamation of the approximately 560 Princely States. He asserted that Sardar Patel gives us Ek Bharat. It is now the duty of every citizen to collectively make a Shreshtha Bharat by living together in unity and respecting each other’s culture’.
On this occasion, the NSS Cell of the University organized District Level Poster Competition during which school students from six schools of Bathinda participated and showcased their talent by making beautiful posters on the theme of National Unity Day.
In the evening, students and staff members participated in the “Run for Unity” programme held at the Central University of Punjab, Bathinda (CUPB) campus. Prof. B.P. Garg, Controller of Examinations and Registrar (O), CUPB, flagged off the run. About 125 students participated in this event. The athletes ran in the picturesque campus amidst the greenery and the crisp breeze to celebrate the enduring legacy of Sardar Patel.