If the Panjab University (PU) governing bodies give their nod, ace shooter Abhinav Bindra will be offered a chair in the domain of sports and physical education.
The Panjab University syndicate in its meeting on October 8 will see the proposal to invite the Olympian to the university as visiting faculty in the department of physical education. The syndicate will take up the proposal to create a chair in the domain of sports and physical education in honour of Olympian Balbir Singh Sr on the lines of the Maharaja Ranjit Singh chair.
In a meeting held by academic and administrative committees in August, the members discussed that Bindra’s coming to the varsity will be seen as a motivation to the sports fraternity, faculty and students.
“It was discussed that a chair be created for sports and physical education. While the members were mulling whom to invite, it was unanimously decided by members to invite Bindra,” said Nandalal Singh, chairperson, department of physical education, adding that the final decision will be taken by the governing bodies.
Bindra became the youngest Indian participant at the 2000 Sydney Olympics and won individual gold medal in the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
He has also been conferred with the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award and Arjuna Award. At the 2016 Olympic Games at Rio de Janeiro, he came fourth in the men’s 10m air rifle singles event.
The proposal to set up a chair for sports and physical education will be set up on the same lines as of the Maharaja Ranjit Singh chair recently accepted by former Western Army Commander Lt Gen K J Singh.
Moreover, former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is set to return to deliver lectures at Panjab University as the Jawaharlal Nehru chair professor since a parliamentary panel has given approval. However, the dates were not yet confirmed, but sources said Manmohan Singh would soon visit the varsity.
