Roorkee : Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee (IIT Roorkee), the foremost of institute of national importance in higher technological education, felicitates Bharat Ratna Pandit Gobind Ballabh Pant on his 136 Jayanti in the campus on September 10, 2023. Pandit Pandit Gobind Ballabh Pant, a contemporary of Nehru, Gandhi, and Patel, was among the forerunners to hold the baton of Hindi as an official language for India. To this end, IIT Roorkee’s holistic understanding, including knowledge and sensitivity to social responsibilities, the Official language cell at the institute organizes the event on his birth anniversary.

Govind Ballabh Pant is remembered as one of the country’s most prominent freedom fighters and an administrator who played a key role in shaping modern India. He was the Premier of United Provinces (1937 – 1939), First Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh (1946 -1954) and Union Home Minister (1955 – 1961) and was a recipient of the highest civilian award, the Bharat Ratna in 1957.

The event started with the arrival of Prof. K K Pant, Director, IIT Roorkee; Dean Administration; Chairman Official Language Cell, Registrar, Institute Engineer, and other officers/employees at the statue site on the campus. The ceremony reached its zenith by commemorating the national hero’s benevolent achievement by wreathing a garland on his statue.

On the auspicious occasion, Prof. K K Pant, Director, IIT Roorkee, said, “To create an environment that shall foster the growth of intellectually capable, innovative and entrepreneurial professionals, I would want the students and faculty members to imbibe the spirit of one of our ablest leaders and contribute to the growth of society and nation as a whole uniting under one linguistic umbrella alongside engendering respect for diverse nature of our society.”

Prof. U. P. Singh, Deputy Director, IIT Roorkee, pointed out, “Pandit Gobind Ballabh Pant was responsible for the establishment of Hindi as an official language of the central government and a few states. Thus, appreciating intellectual excellence and creativity with unfettered spirit of learning and sensitivity to social responsibilities, IIT Roorkee urges all to foster excellence in education and to create a sustainable and equitable society”.