In a mission to promote sikh studies and sikh music, Punjbi University opened 'gurmat gyan online study centre' at the Sikh Centre of the Gulf Coast Area in Houston, USA.
Punjabi University is the first to recognise gurmat sangeet as independent academic subject, in 2003 and this is the university's second such centre after the one at New Jersey.
This branch of music involves singing of gurbani and is a primary form of worship which was started by the founder of Sikhism Guru Nanak.
Dr Amritpal Kaur, director of online study centre, and her team presented $US 5000 to the university's vice chancellor Dr Jaspal Singh, on Sunday.
Dr Gurnam Singh, department head of gurmat sangeet, said that the online course will organised from audio-visual labs.
"The centre will admit students into different courses and will organise weekly classes. Moreover, we are already getting overwhelming response from our global fraternity," he said.
While the university has already launched a gurmat sangeet project to preserve and propagate the music form, Gurnam Singh said, "The online program is also based on research of gurmat sangeet and sikh string instruments in the global context."
{{/usCountry}}While the university has already launched a gurmat sangeet project to preserve and propagate the music form, Gurnam Singh said, "The online program is also based on research of gurmat sangeet and sikh string instruments in the global context."
{{/usCountry}}Applauding the effort, VC Jaspal Singh said, "Such facility will not only provide opportunities for the Punjabi diaspora, but also for foreigners to learn the traditional art form."