 AMRITSAR, Nov 27: In a significant step towards blending academic excellence with humanitarian service, Guru Nanak Dev University on Thursday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Global Sikhs and Cultural Resource Conservation Initiative (CRCI) India Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi, to spearhead post-flood rehabilitation efforts in Punjab.
The partnership, conceptualised under the progressive vision of Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. Karmjeet Singh, aims to rebuild flood-ravaged homes using innovative, climate-resilient architectural solutions that integrate traditional Punjabi building wisdom with modern engineering.
The MoU was signed by Registrar Prof. K.S. Chahal on behalf of the University and Ar. Gurmit Rai for CRCI and Mr. Amarpreet Singh form Global Sikhs in the presence of Prof. Palwinder Singh Dean (Academic Affairs), Prof. Navdeep Singh Sodhi (University-Industry Linkage Coordinator), and other senior officials.
Vice Chancellor Prof Karamjeet Singh said that the partnership seeks to integrate academic research, on-site documentation, community consultations, and design development toward helping families whose homes were destroyed or severely impacted by the devastating floods in Punjab in 2025. The initiative brings together multidisciplinary expertise to develop resilient housing solutions, grounded in both traditional knowledge systems and contemporary design strategies.
Under the MoU, Prof. K. S. Chahal said that students and faculty of GNDU's Department of Architecture will conduct field documentation, housing assessments, comparative analysis, and toolkit development, working closely with specialists from Global Sikhs and CRCI. The collaboration also aims to create design prototypes for new flood-resilient homes, informed by community inputs and local building practices.
Prof. Navdeep Singh Sodhi said that the project will run through 2025-2026, during which Global Sikhs will facilitate community coordination and field logistics, while CRCI will provide technical guidance on documentation, vernacular architecture, and the development of resilience-based design toolkits. |
