Prof Ronki Ram to lead Centre for Excellence in Indian
Culture and Society being established at Chandigarh University, to also hold
Sri Aurobindo Chair
MOHALI: In a
significant development aimed at exploring the rich Indian Culture and
providing a strong platform for teaching and research in this domain, a Centre
for Excellence in Indian Culture and Society (ICS) is being established at Chandigarh University Gharuan, which shall be
led by renowned public intellectual and Professor of Political Science, Prof
Ronki Ram. Prof Ram, who shall also hold Sri Aurobindo Chair in the ICS.
Aimed at providing
an engaging platform for teaching and research in the challenging domain of
Indian culture and society, the Centre for Excellence will focus on the varied
and rich dimensions of Indian culture and its invigorating contributions
towards the building of Indian society over millennium.
“India has one
of the richest cultural legacies and from ancient to modern times, this has
attracted the attention of scholars and higher educational institutions from
India and the world over, alike. As one of the leading Indian Universities, it
has become imperative for us to concentrate on exploring the rich knowledge
systems of Indian culture and how that has enriched Indian society through its
discursive and critical discourses. Besides, the New Education Policy also
focuses on carrying out research work on our cultural legacies so as to connect
our present and upcoming generations with our glorious past. It is with this perspective,
that Chandigarh University has established the Centre for Excellence in Indian
Culture and Society,” said S. Satnam Singh Sandhu, Chancellor, Chandigarh University.
Sandhu
informed that renowned public intellectual and Professor of Political Science, Prof
Ronki Ram shall lead this Centre for Excellence and shall also hold Sri
Aurobindo Chair in the ICS.
Currently, a
Visiting Professor at University of Ladakh and member of the State Higher
Education Council, UT Chandigarh, Prof Ram is well known in academia world over
for his scholarship on underprivileged sections of society with particular
reference to Empowerment of Scheduled Castes.
“The ICS
will work towards building a solid knowledge base through teaching and research
spread on multi-channels of brainstorming, invited lectures, workshops,
seminars and conferences on relevant themes of Indian Culture and society. To
be more focused, emphasis would be placed on the seminal contributions of
various luminous thinkers of the glorious period of Indian Renaissance – cradle
of Indian freedom movement,” said Prof Ram.
Prof Ram has
authored four books, prominent among these being Dalit Emancipation and
Empowerment and Current Peasant Protests. He has published 150 Research Papers
in International and National Journals. He has been visiting Professor in a number
of leading universities including in the Faculty of Arts, Business and Social
Sciences, University of Wolverhampton (UK), ICCR Chair Professor of India
Studies at Leiden University, the Netherlands and at Ryukoku University, Kyoto,
Japan. He earlier served as Shaheed Bhagat Singh Chair at Panjab University,
Chandigarh.