Chandigarh, February 9
Shivraj Patil, the Punjab Governor and Chandigarh Administrator, today delivered the valedictory address on the closing day of the 13th Punjab Science Congress held at Panjab University on the theme ‘Climate Change: Concerns and Solutions’.
Putting the three-day deliberations on track, the Governor called for a holistic and a cosmic approach to tackling the problem of climate change. “The need of the hour is to inculcate the right mindset, which is in fact the ultimate super science”, Patil said.
He said: “Respecting the eternal connection between all things, living and dead, is the spiritual duty of everyone and there would be sustainable human and environmental development only when this becomes a lifelong duty.”
While apprising the Governor of the academic and social initiatives taken by the university of late, Vice-Chancellor of Panjab University Prof RC Sobti showcased the history of the institution from the time of its inception in 1881 in Lahore.
Dr Rakesh Tuli, director National Institute of Agricultural Biotechnology, Mohali, was the main speaker of the valedictory session. An eminent molecular biologist and biotechnologist, Dr Tuli, focused his talk on genes and promoters for designing plants.
The Governor also presented medals to awardees of the best poster competition in various sections of the Congress. Harjit Kaur and Karan Goel won the medal in section A (Agriculture and Environment, Biosciences and Biotechnology).
JK Gill won in the section B (Applied Chemistry, Applied Physics, Sugar Technology, Food Technology and Textile Chemistry). The consolation prize was awarded to Vandana Balli. In section C, D and E, Paramjit Kaur, Ashu Paul and Rishu Kapil won, respectively.
Meanwhile, the Young Scientist Awards were given to Dr Pallavi Mittal, Kawaljit Singh Sandhu, Sukhwinder Singh Billing, Davinder Parkash, Suresh Kumar, and a pending Young Scientist Award of 2006 was awarded to Indu Chhabra.
In his report of the Congress proceedings, organising secretary and dean, Faculty of Sciences, PU, Prof AS Ahluwalia, listed the major recommendations put forth by scientists and technologists who had attended the congress from across the country and abroad.
He also thanked his team and Prof Rajan Gaur, co-organising secretary and Prof Harsh Nayyar, joint secretary of the congress.