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65 students from PAU & Vet Varsity awarded GS Khush scholarship
Manjit Singh Kang, former vice-chancellor, PAU; Inderjeet Singh, vice-chancellor, GADVASU; and AS Dhatt, director of research, PAU, presented the GS Khush scholarships to PAU and GADVASU students in Ludhiana
A total of 65 students, comprising 53 students from Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) and 12 from Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (GADVASU), were presented merit scholarships during the Dr GS Khush Foundation Scholarship Award Ceremony at PAU on Tuesday.
Manjit Singh Kang, former vice-chancellor, PAU; Inderjeet Singh, vice-chancellor, GADVASU; and AS Dhatt, director of research, PAU, presented the scholarships to the students. In addition, ₹25,000 was provided to the needy students.
SS Banga, ICAR, national professor, was selected for “Dr DS Brar Award” in agriculture.
A world renowned rice breeder GS Khush, while congratulating the scholarship awardees, from California via zoom, said: “These awards are recognition of your outstanding performance in academics. You are future leaders of the country and play an important role in the advancement, development and prosperity of the nation.”
He expressed his gratitude to former PAU vice-chancellors SS Johl, MS Kang and BS Dhillon for their inspiration and guidance; and officials Kuldeep Singh, former director, School of Agricultural Biotechnology and secretary of the Foundation; GS Mangat, additional director of research (crop improvement) and Treasurer of the Foundation; and NS Bains, former director of research, PAU, for their leadership and assistance.
“You have worked diligently and made your family members proud. This is the first step to your future endeavors,” Harwant Kaur Khush, vice-chairperson of Dr GS Khush Foundation said , while extending her best wishes to the awardees from California.
Kang said: “I have been connected with this foundation since it was conceived. I have known Khush since 1959; he is a philanthropist, a man known for selfless service to humanity. He is here to serve the society.”
Ever since this foundation came into being, hundreds and hundreds of students have benefitted from it, he remarked. Stating that “Excellence is to do an ordinary thing in an extraordinary way,” he advised the students to work hard to be on the top in this competitive world.
Inderjeet Singh said: “Khush is a hallmark, emanating from the rural village. A farmer’s son, if educated and becomes a good scientist, can serve humanity and feed half of the world.”
Eminent scientist Navjet Singh Bains, a former director of research of PAU and a member of the foundation, said that the World Food Prize winner Khush has played a stellar role in the development of more than 300 rice varieties which were being cultivated across the globe.
