Punjabi University, Patiala

The Punjabi University, located in the erstwhile princely city of Patiala in the South east of Punjab was established on April the 30th 1962. After the Hebrew University of Israel, this is the only University to be named after a language. Although initially the main task before the University, was to develop and promote the language of the Punjabi people, it has since evolved into a multi-faceted multi-faculty educational institution with over fifty five Teaching and research departments covering disciplines in Humanities and in Sciences as diverse as Fine Arts and Space Physics. The University has over the years aquired the status of a premier instiution of higher learning in the north of India.

  Guru Gobind Singh Bhawan

The University has a modern well planned campus located about seven kilometers from the Patiala city centre. The campus is spread over about 320 acres with imposing buildings in lush green, pollution free environment away from the hustle and bustle of city life. The University also has three regional centres namely The Guru Kashi Regional Centre at Bathinda. The Guru Kashi Campus at Talwandi Sabo and The Nawab Sher Mahommad Khan Institute of Advanced Studies in Urdu, Persian and Arabic at Malerkotla.

The University has established a well stocked extension library at Mohali. The Mohali centre also has a fully equipped Computer Centre which runs a PGDCA course.

The University has undertaken the responsibility of maintaining the estate of Dr. Norah Richards at Andretta in Himachal Pradesh. The buildings of the estate have been renovated keeping the original architecture intact.

Arrangements have been made for the comfortable stay of faculty members and students who wish to carry out study and research in the field of Theatre and Television. The department of Theatre and television arranges theatre performances at Andretta every year.

The University also manages the Dr. Balbir Singh Sahityak Kendra at Dehradoon. There is rich library with rare books and manuscripts bequethed by Bhai Veer Singh, Dr. Balbir Singh and Dr. Puran Singh, the doyens of Punjabi literature. Research on comparative religion is carried out at this centre and the Punjabi University has provided all necessary facilities for scholars.

The University Campus at Patiala makes available International standard facilities for students and researchers.

Punjabi University Library

The main University Library, housed in a spacious modern building stocks more than 3,00,000 volumes and subscribes to several hundred journals. Latest books are added regularly every year. The library is kept open for 360 days of the year from 8.15 a.m to 8.15 p.m. every day. Special reading rooms have been made available for students who wish to work in calm and comfortable surroundings. A new specialized wing called the Punjabi Reference Library has been added in the recent past. The Library is actively participating in the Inflibnet Programme.

The Computer Centre has established a local area network and all university departments enjoy the facilities of Internet and e-mail through a VSAT terminal. The centre as well as the teaching departments are equipped with the latest computers and software.

Students are encouraged to take active part in sports. Well maintained sports grounds and facilities for games such as hockey, football, cricket, basketball, volleyball, atheletics etc. as well as various indoor games are provided.

The Punjabi University also has a large gymnasium and a hall for indoor games. It is one of the very few institutions in India to possess its own velodrome.

The Youth Welfare department of the University organizes youth activities all round the year. The Punjabi University has won unique distinctions in Youth Festivals organised by the Association of Indian Universities in collaboration with the Ministery of Youth Affairs, Govt. of India, Directorate of Youth Services, Panjab, Directorate of Higher Education, Panjab and Panjabi Academy of Delhi State.

The University won overall second position in National Inter University Youth Festival, won overall chmpionship in North Zone Inter University Youth Festival many times, won overall championship in Panjab State Inter

University Youth Festival many times and also won overall championship many times in All India Inter University Punjabi Cultural Festival. Students of Panjabi University have had the privilege of representing India in the festivals of India held in USSR, Mauritius, Spain, China, Germany and U.A.E (Dubai).

Apart from the above mentioned activities, the department of Youth Welfare organises Hiking Trekking, Mountaineering and Rock Climbing courses, holds Youth Leadership Training Camps, prepares the students for participation in all India level Youth Festivals, organises Rotract Club Young cultural Club, Lee Club and Youth Club. It organises Yoga Training Camps for the benefit of students of the university teaching departments and colleges affiliated to the university. The department published the Yuvak Sabha Magazine and also holds literary and cultural competitions.

The National service scheme being implemented by the NSS department helps students to participate in different programmes of social service and National development.

A well equipped health centre with qualified physicians and paramedical staff is at the service of the students round the clock. The centre has an x-ray unit as also a laborartory for medical tests.

The Transport department of the University runs a fleet of buses from the campus for going to various parts of Patiala city.

There are four residential Hostels with 800 rooms for boys and three residential Hostels for girls. The Hostels have all modern amenities for comfortable living.

Museum & Art Gallery

Punjabi University, Patiala, envisaged a museum and art gallery in 1972 and a building was built during the tenure of Sh. Kirpal Singh, the then Vice Chancellor of the University and was inaugurated by the then Chief Minister of Punjab, Giani Zail Singh. The project was taken up to promote art and cultural heritage of Punjab and to encourage he upcoming artists to project their works and to explore new vistas. The primary aim was and also is to provide artists with a floor to project and propagate their works through workshops and exhibitions. The museum continues to provide this platform to the artists in expressing their form and variety of art.

Museum and Art Gallery had been extensively renovated during the prestigious even of Indian Science Congress i n 1996. It is provided with four galleries.

The foremost being the Round Gallery which has resemblance with the Buddhist Stupa. This Round Gallery displays the works of the noted Punjabi Artists who are already established on the international level.

The other two galleries are adorned with rare objects of Punjabi Folk, Art and Culture. The Third Gallery carries regular feature of exhibitions of eminent Artists. The salient feature of the Museum and Art Gallery in the Sculpture Park.

In February 1980, the greatest event had been the holding of the International Symposium on Sculpture for which Punjab Government had also given a financial grant. The sculptures are serving as edicts of International Culture

Click here for a virtual tour of the Museum

List of Affiliated Colleges, Punjabi University