Padma Shri Hans Raj Hans Appointed Chairman of New Sufi and Folk Music Heritage Chair at Guru Kashi University

Guru Kashi University launches Chair to preserve Punjab’s Sufi and folk music traditions

Chandigarh: In an initiative to preserve Punjab’s musical legacy, Guru Kashi University (GKU), Talwandi Sabo, has announced the establishment of the Sufi and Folk Music Heritage Chair under its Faculty of Visual and Performing Arts. Renowned Punjabi singer and Padma Shri Hans Raj Hans, has been appointed as the Chairman of this newly launched academic venture.

The announcement was made during a press conference held at the Press Club in Chandigarh, where university officials and dignitaries gathered to celebrate the move aimed at safeguarding Punjab’s rich cultural traditions.

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The Chair will focus on research, documentation, education, and public engagement related to Sufi and folk music. It will also facilitate national and international collaborations, and organize cultural festivals and workshops to connect students and music enthusiasts with Punjab’s oral traditions.

Vice Chancellor Dr. Rameshwar Singh described the initiative as a “bridge between our cultural past and future,” emphasizing the Chair’s role in providing academic depth to the study and preservation of traditional Punjabi music.

Joining Hans Raj Hans in this effort, Prof. Dr. Gurpreet Kaur, Dean of the Faculty of Visual and Performing Arts, has been appointed as the Executive Director, while Dr. Aman Sufi will serve as Project Coordinator.

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An international Advisory Board has been formed to support the Chair’s vision, comprising eminent figures from the field of music and academia:

• Sardar Gurlabh Singh Sidhu, Chancellor, Guru Kashi University (Chief Patron)
• Puran Shah Koti, celebrated Sufi Guru and mentor to Hans Raj Hans
• Sardar Charanjit Singh Batth, USA
• Dr. Dalbir Singh Kathuria, Canada
• Preet Inder Dhillon, UK
• Prof. D.N. Jauhar, former VC, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar University, Agra
• Prof. Dr. Jaspal Kaur Kaang, former Chair, Guru Nanak Sikh Studies, Panjab University
• Prof. Dr. Hukum Chand, former Dean, Faculty of Music, MDU Rohtak
• Prof. Dr. Neelam Paul, former Chairperson, Department of Music, Panjab University

Expressing his gratitude, Hans Raj Hans said, “I’ve spent my life singing the verses of Sufi saints and the songs of Punjab’s soil. This Chair is a way for me to give back—to document, preserve, and pass on this treasure to future generations through the academic world.”

Dr. Gurpreet Kaur detailed upcoming activities such as archival work, oral history documentation, and academic programs designed to engage students and scholars globally.

Among those present were Mrs. Usha Singh, Lady Vice Chancellor of GKU, Er. Sukhwinder Singh Sidhu (General Secretary, Balaji Education Trust), Prof. D.N. Jauhar, Dr. Dalbir Singh Kathuria, and Prof. Dr. Neelam Paul, who praised the university’s vision and Hans Raj Hans’s leadership.

Er. Sukhwinder Singh Sidhu concluded the event with a vote of thanks, followed by a networking lunch for media and guests.