Early Times Report
Chandigarh, Mar 1: The third Memorial Lecture was organised in memory of the birth anniversary of late Sh. Upkar Krishan Sharma, former President of Goswami Ganesh Dutta Sanatan Dharma College in campus.
Addressing the gathering, his daughter and the present President, Ms. Vaishali Sharma, shared moving anecdotes from her father’s life, highlighting his unwavering commitment to integrity, honesty and compassion without discrimination. She recalled how, for him, humanity mattered above all distinctions of caste, creed, religion, gender or status. Describing how he devoted his life to the institution he inherited, she said his belief in empowering girls was reflected in the colleges he established. She also remembered his sense of responsibility during the COVID-19 crisis, when he ensured timely payment of staff salaries even from hospital, and his lifelong hope of living up to the expectations of his own father. The invited speaker, Prof. Karamjeet Singh, Vice Chancellor of Guru Nanak Dev University, said the gathering was not merely to remember the late President but to learn from his life. He observed that institutions do not grow by accident but by design, intention and clarity of purpose, qualities that defined Sh. Sharma’s leadership. He noted that the late President built enduring systems and a culture grounded in discipline, accountability and ethical credibility, maintaining balance between personal and professional life while nurturing merit.
Reflecting on contemporary challenges, Prof. Singh spoke about the paradoxes of a technologically advanced world marked by ethical and ecological concerns, stressing the need for leaders who listen, observe and act with humility. He urged students to focus on problem-solving, analytical thinking, communication skills and digital fluency, emphasising that the question today is not only how to teach, but what to teach.
The lecture concluded with a call to pay the finest homage to the late President by strengthening institutional excellence, fostering merit, addressing social concerns, promoting girls’ education and integrating technological innovation with equality, values that defined Sh. Upkar Krishan Sharma’s life and legacy.
In a fitting tribute to this noble legacy, the Hon’ble Governor of Punjab, Sh. Gulab Chand Kataria ji inaugurated the newly built Upkar Sharma Open Air Theatre (Under PM-USHA scheme) in campus. This Open Air Theatre shall stand as a symbol of holistic education, where learning transcends classrooms and embraces culture, creativity, dialogue and expression. |
