Punjab Engineering College (Deemed to be University), the first academic institution to come up in the new capital city of Chandigarh in 1953, celebrated the completion of 100 years since its inception in 1921 on November 9.
The commemoration of this milestone was held on 16th November 2021 with the President of India, Ram Nath Kovind as the Chief Guest of the event. The event was graced by the presence of The Governor of Punjab, Banwarilal Purohit, the Governor of Haryana – Bandaru Dattatreya and Advisor to the UT Administrator – Dharam Pal, who were present as the Guests of Honor. The campus was packed with an aura of zest, verve and the entire college fraternity was brimming with immense pride on this landmark occasion.
The President of India, Ram Nath Kovind in his key address congratulated Punjab Engineering College for achieving 100 years since establishment and gave blessings for successful conduction of the centennial celebration. The President unveiled a special postage stamp containing images of PEC’s campus in 1921, originally Mughalpura Technical College, and PEC’s present campus, thus marking the completion of 100 years of the Institute. In his address speech, he talked about how rare and historical a moment it is, that an institute is completing a century of glorious existence and termed PEC as a ‘Centre of Nation Building’. Acknowledging the evolution of PEC, the President also talked about the state of Punjab being a prominent symbol of India’s culture.
Talking about the prestigious alum of PEC, Padma Vibhushan, Dr Satish Dhawan, the President emphasized his contributions towards the Aerospace field in India. Commending the calibre of PEC, The President talked about the first batch of 17 aeronautical engineers in IAF given by PEC. Furthermore, he talked about another PEC alum, Kalpana Chawla, who has been an inspiration for so many people around the world. Mentioning the Centre of Excellence in PEC, he talked about the establishment of the Kalpana Chawla Chair of Geospatial Technology (KCC GT) and Siemens-Centre of Excellence. Explaining the New Education Policy’s focus on research and innovation-based learning, the President acknowledged how PEC shows its willingness towards research by establishing a state of the art Semiconductor Lab, inaugurated today by him.
He articulated the contributions of PEC and its students for their efforts during the tough times of the COVID pandemic, including the robots made by PEC students. He commended PEC for its huge alumni network and emphasized how PEC’s graduates have touched every field. He suggested the Institute use the mentorship of its alumni and collaborate with Institutes all over the nation to promote unity. The Governor of Punjab and Administrator U.T., Chandigarh, Banwarilal Purohit in his addressal emphasized the need to permeate the spirit of innovation to all sectors of the socioeconomic spectrum. He celebrated the fact that alumni of PEC have always been drivers of our economy and have been bringing laurels to the nation. He wished PEC all the success and urged the institute to strive to be a world class leader in research and academia.
The Director of Punjab Engineering College, Dr. Baldev Setia, spoke about the rich history of PEC, which found its roots in Mughalpura, Lahore, Pakistan, transitioning to Chandigarh in 1953 and finally becoming an independent institute in 2003. Initiating from the rudimentary stages of the institute springing from offering Civil Engineering courses to becoming one of the leading technical education centers in the region is a profound milestone, reflected in the celebrations which cherished the essence and heritage of the college. PEC presently offers 8 undergraduate programs and 14 postgraduate programs, apart from the Ph.D. programs in various disciplines of engineering. The President Ram Nath Kovind inaugurated the newly constructed Centenary Hall to mark this milestone day. He also inaugurated the newly set-up state of the art Semiconductor Research Centre (Clean Lab) under the Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering. The Lab will help researchers, M.Tech and PhD students prepare and experiment applications, help in the development and manufacturing of microprocessors, phone chips and sensors. This lab will give a special identity to PEC. Additionally, The President, also laid the foundation stone for a student’s hostel to be constructed in the campus premise. This hostel is anticipated to occupy almost 600 students and will be a new addition to the four existing boys hostels and 2 girls hostels. A documentary showcasing the rich history of Punjab Engineering College was released on the completion of this auspicious occasion. It includes the stories and challenges faced by the past principals and directors who have led the college to great heights through their visionary ideas. The documentary also featured stories about a few notable alumni from PEC and gave a glimpse into the student life at Campus. PEC has issued a special cover letter as part of the institute’s centenary celebrations.
The cover letter showcases the timeline of the institute from its origins as Mughalpura Engineering College, Lahore to its current location in Chandigarh as Punjab Engineering College. The entire event was live telecasted on various online platforms and the celebrations were further enhanced by vibrant cultural dance and music performances by the students.
The event concluded with the Indian National Anthem. It is a genuine moment of great pride and glory, not only for the students and faculties of the college, but also for the entire region, in honoring PEC as one of the most reputed engineering colleges of India. It stands as a strong reminiscence of the previous notable personalities, and paves the way for future accomplishments, whilst holding significant moments of the history of the nation
