Salute to Sacrifice

Former President Ram Nath Kovind Opens Seminar on Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji

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In the serene and contemplative ambience of the Bhai Vir Singh Sahitya Sadan, a one-day national seminar unfolded, an intellectual confluence jointly organized by the National Institute of Punjab Studies, Bhai Vir Singh Sahitya Sadan, and the Department of Punjabi, University of Delhi.

Scholars, students, and admirers of Sikh heritage gathered in the stately conference hall, where the air carried both reverence for history and a quest for contemporary meaning.

The inaugural address was delivered by the former President of India, Shri Ram Nath Kovind, whose presence lent the occasion a quiet gravitas. Paying heartfelt homage to Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji, he evoked the luminous courage of the ninth Guru, whose supreme sacrifice, he said, was not merely a historic act of martyrdom but a timeless proclamation of the right to freedom of faith and the safeguarding of India's civilizational ethos. Guru Ji's message, he remarked, was a clarion call that dispelled fear, fortified the spirit of resistance against tyranny, and inspired generations on the road to India's eventual freedom. Shri Kovind urged the youth of the nation, and indeed every community, to draw inspiration from Guru Ji's teachings so that India may advance with unity, moral courage, and unwavering resolve.

Presiding over the gathering with equal depth was the Speaker of the Punjab Legislative Assembly, S. Kultar Singh Sandhwan, who revisited the unparalleled sacrifice of Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji, venerated as Hind di Chadar, the Protective Shield of India, and Sach di Chadar, the Shield of Truth. In the context of present-day challenges, he emphasized the pressing need to re-articulate this message at a universal level, reminding the audience that Guru Ji's legacy belongs not just to one faith or region but to humanity at large.