SPPU to host Chair of Excellence in Military History of India

PUNE The Savitribai Phule Pune University’s (SPPU) department of Defence and Strategic Studies has been invited to host the Chair of Excellence in Military History of India, with a particular focus on communication and awareness creation about the Indian gallantry

PUNE The Savitribai Phule Pune University’s (SPPU) department of Defence and Strategic Studies has been invited to host the Chair of Excellence in Military History of India, with a particular focus on communication and awareness creation about the Indian gallantry.

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The Ministry of Defence had invited expressions of interest from top 100 universities as per the NIRF ranking to set up of this chair of excellence. Proposals were received from 25 universities and institutions across the country.

The proposals were examined by the Institute Selection Review Committee (ISRC) which unanimously recommended the awarding of the chair to SPPU. A memorandum of understanding will be signed with the university shortly. The chair will be supported through an endowment fund of ₹2 crore.

The department of Defence and Strategic Studies has a strong footprint with Indian Armed Forces and collaborative work with all three services is going well. While the department has unique courses such as the Scholars in Residence programme, under which several officers from the Indian Army join as visiting scholars.

The scope of the chair, inter-alia, includes publishing of monographs, conducting seminars, webinars and propagating and enhancing the understanding of the military history of India, to create a platform for faculty/researchers to undertake research work; also to develop strategies for communication and awareness of the Indian military and to provide advice on any other matter related to the subject from time to time.

“The Department of Defence and Strategic Studies is the only department in the country in which the Chair of Excellence has been established in coordination with the Army, Air Force and the Ministry of Defence. We intend to set up a ‘Chair of Excellence’ with the Indian Navy in the near future and a proposal for this has been sent to the Navy Headquarters,” said Vijay Khare, HOD of SPPU’s Department of Defence and Strategic studies.

SPPU vice-chancellor Prof Nitin Karmalkar said, “We are very happy to receive the Chair of Excellence from the Ministry of Defence. This has created an opportunity for students to do research in these subjects.”