Inter-faith centre to be set up at Guru Nanak Dev varsity at cost of Rs 493 cr: HRD Min

An inter-faith centre will be set up at the Guru Nanak Dev University in Punjab at a cost of Rs 493 crore, Human Resource Development Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal 'Nishank' announced on Thursday. He was addressing a gathering at Delhi University's Sri Guru Teg Bahadur Khalsa College where he along with his cabinet colleague Harsimrat Kaur Badal released three books on the teachings of Guru Nanak Dev, the founder of Sikhism, to commemorate his 550th birth anniversary.

"An inter-faith centre will be set up at Guru Nanak Dev University in Punjab at a cost of 493 crores. The teachings of Guru Nanak Dev are apt in today's world of complexities and the youth world over needs to follow his philosophy of humanity, equality and 'one God'," Pokhriyal said. "In addition to the Guru Nanak Dev Chairs in Indian universities, the government has announced the chair in universities in United Kingdom as well as in Canada," he said.

Originally published in Punjabi, the three books -- "Guru Nanak Bani", "Nanak Bani", and "Sakhian Guru Nanak Dev" -- have been translated into 15 major Indian languages. While "Guru Nanak Bani", compiled by Bhai Jodh Singh, is a collection of selected verses from the original 'Bani' of Guru Nanak Dev, the "Nanak Bani", compiled by Manjit Singh features five prominent writings ("paanch bania") of the Sikh guru.

The 'Janamsakhis' literally meaning birth stories, are writings which profess to be the biographies of Guru Nanak. 'Sakhian Guru Nanak', compiled by Jagtarjit Singh, is a book based on these life stories of Guru Nanak Dev. In a statement issued by the Punjab government Thursday evening, it said the Centre sanctioned the release of Rs 175 crore for the first phase of the development of the Inter Faith Centre at Guru Nanak Dev University in Amritsar.

The Union Ministry of Human Resources Development on Thursday approved the release of Rs 175 crore, of which Rs 125 crore has been earmarked as non-recurring and Rs 50 crore as recurring funds under the phase-I, it said. The remaining funds would be released after examining the progress of the expenditure according to the detailed project report, the statement said.

Guru Nanak Dev, born in 1469 in Nankana Sahib in present day Pakistan, undertook spiritual journeys across India, south Asia, Tibet and Arabia, to promote equality. His messages are penned down in the in the holy text of Sikhism, the "Guru Granth Sahib".

The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in November last year had passed a resolution to celebrate the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev in 2019 throughout the country and across the globe together with state governments and the Indian missions abroad.

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