The legacy of Panjab University – From Param Vir Chakra to Olympic gold to Miss Universe crown

The 140-year-old Panjab University (PU) – one of the oldest universities in India – initiated at Lahore in 1882, has a long tradition of excellence. Its students and alumni have been making the country proud in almost every arena – from academics to making a sacrifice for the country on a battlefield to Olympics and now the latest addition is conquering the Miss Universe pageant.  

On the intervening night of Sunday Monday, the 21-year-old student of Panjab University, Harnaaz Sandhu, gave the entire country a moment of pride. She was crowned Miss Universe during the 70th Miss Universe pageant at Universe Dome in Eilat, Israel.

India won the coveted title after a gap of 21 years. The last was won by Lara Dutta in 2000 and before that it was in 1994 when Sushmita Sen became the first Indian to be crowned Miss Universe.

Harnaaz, is pursuing masters in public administration from Post Graduate Government College for Girls Sector 42.

The 2021 has been very lucky for Panjab University. In August this year, its former student Neeraj Chopra created history by becoming the first Indian to clinch Olympic gold in athletics during the Tokyo Games. He was a student of PU’s affiliated college – DAV College, Chandigarh.

Last month, PU won the prestigious Maulana Abul Kalam Azad (MAKA) trophy for the best all-round performance in sports among Indian varsities for the third year in a row.

It was after almost 50 years, PU was able to win the MAKA trophy for three times in a row. Earlier, it had won the coveted trophy three times or more in a row, was during the 1968-72, when they won it for five successive years.

This year’s one of the successful bollywood movies ‘Shershaah’ was made on the life of PU’s former student late Captain Vikram Batra, who was awarded India's highest military decoration - Param Vir Chakra –  for displaying distinguished acts of valour during Kargil war. His words 'Yeh Dil Maange More' from the battlefield in Kargil is inspiring youth to make the country proud.