Indian History Congress inaugurated by Punjab Governor

Patiala: Punjab Governor and Chancellor of Punjabi University Patiala Shivraj V Patil while inaugurating the Platinum Jubilee Session of the 72nd Indian History Congress has endorsed the intellectual programme of the Indian History Congress and said its publications mark a breakthrough in our understanding of the country’s history.
The Congress was to be thrown open by Vice-President Hamid M Ansari but he could not reach here as his plane could not take off from the national capital due to poor visibility following dense fog.
After inaugurating the Indian History Congress here yesterday, Mr Patil appreciated the body for instituting annual and biannual awards for the best research papers and books in different fields of Indian history.
Mr Patil said the organisers of the platinum jubilee conference have selected a right place for this congregation.
This area is close to the Himalayas, where the profound philosophies of life were discovered, and put before the mankind for their use, he added.
Lauding the Indian History Congress for instituting its own annual and bi-annual awards for the best research papers and books in different fields of Indian history, Mr Patil said that given the standing of the Indian History Congress in the academic world at large, these awards should be coveted equally by young researchers and mature scholars.
Mr Patil said the range of themes covered from the earlier times to the contemporary times and papers on ‘Countries other than India’ had reflected the much widened, rather all embracing, scope of history today.
Taking note of a large number of paper on different region of the country, he said, the history of India cannot be studied without studying the history of its constituents that was its different regions.
The Governor said there was nothing which cannot be covered in the history. It covers mountains, space and oceans. He said the history talks about wars, revolutions, ideas, concept, new philosophy and many religions.
He said as a layman, he would expect regional history to be pursued in a pan-Indian context and hoped for inter-regional contacts in different time periods to be explored by researchers.
Through a rigorous study of regional history, the historian can herself or himself pursue area studies or provide the basic material to other social scientists.
He said he would be happy if the Punjabi University, with its special interest in the history, language, and culture of the undivided Punjab region, would develop academic and cultural links with our neighbours in the north-west.