Alumni, staff share their Punjab Agricultural University stories

LUDHIANA: As Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) celebrated its golden jubilee on Wednesday, many of its alumni and staff, some of who were among the distinguished guests, went down the memory lane and shared their experiences associated with it.
R B Singh, president of National Academy of Agricultural Sciences (NAAS), said, “When I was 24-year-old, I had applied in PAU for the job of an assistant breeder.But I was given the job of a full-time breeder. I still remember how my senior colleagues would lovingly call me ‘Kakajee’,” he said.
“PAU had an unparalleled set up not only in the country but internationally too. As students, Olympians like Prithipal and Charanjeet Singh would always make the university proud with their feats in sports,” he added.
A S Khaira, former PAU vice-chancellor, said, “PAU is a brand name. Wherever we go be it in the country or abroad, we feel proud of our association with it. Its contribution for the development and growth of agriculture is unparalleled.”
PAU VC B S Dhillon calling the university the “mother of green revolution” said, “I remember the day when I was in Mexico and my daughter, then a Class X student there, came home excited, as their school had shown them a documentary on PAU. At that time, I was very proud of the university.”
“The university has given 39 vice-chancellors and one chancellor to various universities of the country. And of the present 61 vice-chancellors in the country, seven are from PAU. This indicates the significant contribution of the university,” he added.
Terming the university as a national asset, the chief guest, deputy chief minister Sukhbir Badal, said, “Punjab would not have developed had there been no PAU. The entire country, especially Punjabis, is proud of it. Had there been no green revolution or cultivation in Punjab, the country would have faced worst of the famines.”
“My mother was an expert in farming. Her and my father’s love for farming has always kept us in touch with the university, which is just like a family to us,” he added.
They also remembered the first vice-chancellor of the university, P N Thapar. A special postal cover was released and “Parkash Singh Badal Bhawan” inaugurated on the day.