Re - visiting Partition 1947 : Historical, Social - Cultural,and Political Perspectives

 

Atul Sachdeva -New Delhi, Date 21 March 2025. SGTB Khalsa College

 University of Delhi

Centre for Partition and Independence Studies, in collaboration with Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Khalsa College (under the aegis of the IQAC) organized a One-Day National Seminar on "Revisiting Partition – 1947: Historical, Sociological, Cultural, and Political Perspectives" on March 21, 2025. The seminar aimed to explore the multifaceted impact of the Partition of India, engaging scholars, researchers, and students in discussion on its historical significance and contemporary relevance. The event commenced with the “Welcome Speech” by the Principal, Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Khalsa College, Prof. Gurmohinder Singh. He emphasized on the importance of holding discussions and deliberations on memories of trauma, led due to lives being torn apart due to Partition of 1947. He especially thanked Prof. Ravinder Kumar (Director, CIPS, University of Delhi) for spearheading initiatives of collaboration between colleges and affiliate bodies of the University. He also deeply appreciated the efforts of the entire Seminar Organizing Team led by Prof. Harbans Singh (Vice-Principal and Convenor) and Prof. Jagir Kaur (Co-Convenor).

Highlight of the Introductory Session was the Address given by Prof. Ravinder Kumar who delved into the historical underpinnings of the 1947 Partition, its long-term consequences, and its representation through historiography, emblems, and discourses. He illuminated at length about the immensely constructive role being played by the Centre for Independence and Partition Studies in fructifying memorabilia, videos, records, testimonies, and academic resources, so as to further encourage scholars, intellectuals, and thinkers to research from diverse perspectives. This was followed by two immensely sensitising Plenary Sessions (Plenary Session I and II) which comprised of mesmerising and breath-taking experience recounted by S. Tarlochan Singh, the Chairman of Governing Body of SGTB Khalsa College with both a minute-by-minute and historical assessment of political understanding of the sub-continent. His lecture was widely appreciated by one and all with Principal, S. Gurmohinder Singh and Treasurer of the College, S. Inderpreet S. Kochchar, continuing the narrative of actual lives lost across a whole history of migration and displacement. Prof. Amrit Kaur Basra, Department of History, DCAC College, University of Delhi focused on the significance of oral testimonies, aspect of gender and marginalisation in her articulate and well-developed lecture on the event of Partition.

Plenary Session II comprised of “Distinguished Speakers” , Prof. Harbans Singh (Department of Punjabi, SGTB Khalsa College) and Prof. Amanpreet Singh Gill (Department of Political Science, SGTB Khalsa College) explicating upon the role of martyrs and multiple dimensions of communal identities in the Partition of 1947. Dr. Yashpreet Kaur from the Department of Music gave a beautiful and a rendition of Amrita Pritam’s poem, Aj aakhaan Waaris Shah nu. This event was chaired by Prof. Jyoti Trehan Sharma (CIPS, Joint Director) who cemented the entire event and beautifully observed the significance of preserving the legacies of Partition. The event culminated with a comprehensive ‘Vote-of-Thanks’ by IQAC Coordinator, Prof. Satish Verma, who highlighted the role of team-effort in making this event a success. The names of all members of the Organising Team ─ Prof. Gurkirpal Singh, Prof. Virender K. Mehra, Dr. Sukhvir Singh, Dr. T. Venugopalan, Dr. Anjana Sagar, Dr. Gurvinder Kaur, Dr. Guntasha K. Tulsi, Dr. Priyanka Srivastava, Dr. Puneet Singh Lamba, Dr. Parkash Singh and Dr. Yashpreet Kaur. ─ were taken. The event was applauded for its sensitivity and understanding of complexities and layers of Partition of 1947.

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