Gulzar accepts Tagore Chair at PU

Aarti Kapur

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 13

Renowned poet, lyricist and film director Gulzar has agreed to accept Tagore Chair at Panjab University. A communication in this regard was sent by him to PU Vice-Chancellor Arun Kumar Grover today. Gulzar has had a “lifelong relationship” with Tagore as it was Tagore’s writing that introduced him to the world of literature and gave shape to his simple yet profound style of writing.

Gulzar had recently translated the poetry of Tagore in two volumes in English namely “Nindiya Chor (Crescent Moon)” and “Baaghban (The Gardener)”, which are an outcome of his passion for Tagore’s poetry. The books are his latest offering being released in 2016 and bring out a unique relationship of two sensitive souls.

The PU Vice-Chancellor said in the communication, Gulzar said these two books of Tagore, which he translated, should also be translated in other languages. Honouring his views, the university had decided to get it translated in Gurmukhi and Shahmukhi, which would be published by the PU press. He said a few faculty members on the campus were ready to work on these.

In the communication sent to the Vice-Chancellor, Gulzar accepted the invitation for the event on the campus and the “pre-release” of his books. He said his publisher, the CEO of Harpar Collins, Ananth Padmanaban, had also agreed to visit the campus and have an interface with students and the faculty.

According to the PU records, the Chair is named after Rabindranath Tagore, who won the Nobel Prize in 1913. Tagore Professorship was created at the PU as part of a UGC initiative to commemorate the birth centenary of Rabindranath Tagore. 

The prestigious Chair at the PU has had two stalwarts occupying it since its inception. Distinguished writer and art critic Mulk Raj Anand was the first to serve as the Chair Professorship. He served from 1962 to 1965. Thereafter, noted Hindi novelist, literary historian, essayist, critic and scholar Hazari Prasad Dwivedi was appointed Tagore Professor, who held the charge till 1967 after which the Chair has been lying vacant.

Gulzar will deliver a series of lectures and will also have a meaningful interaction with the faculty, students, artists, writers and intellectuals across disciplines in the region to be organised as part of the activities of the Chair.

Recently, a former Prime Minister and noted economist, Dr Manmohan Singh, had accepted Jawaharlal Nehru Chair at Panjab University while Prof Yoginder K Alagh and Padma Bhushan awardee Ela Bhatt had also accepted the offer of the PU to head Manmohan Singh Chair and Mahatma Gandhi Chair, respectively.