PU to approach Dr Manmohan Singh’s family over his book donation promise

Panjab University (PU) is set to approach former Prime Minister (PM) Dr Manmohan Singh’s family afresh over his 2018 announcement to donate his books to the university. A three-storey building has also been earmarked to display his collection, but has remained empty since then.

As per PU’s former vice-chancellor (V-C) Arun Kumar Grover who was serving in 2018, the then PM Dr Singh had written to the varsity over donating 3,500 books and memorabilia in his collection, which also included photographs and paintings. The Chandigarh College of Architecture (CCA) was tasked with designing the interior so it replicated Singh’s personal library. This happened before the former PM was invited to deliver the inaugural Prof SB Rangnekar Memorial Lecture on April 11, 2018, at the economics department.

“During the lecture his wife told us he is a bit reluctant to part with his books. While we got the books catalogued, my term also came to an end. The current officials should look into this,” Grover said.

He also said with the setting up of the Prime Ministers Museum and Library Society at Teen Murti Bhawan in New Delhi, it is likely that Manmohan Singh’s belongings can also be housed here. “There was a proposal to build a PM museum in PU as well which could have housed belongings of Dr Singh and IK Gujral but it didn’t come to fruition. It is now up to the family what they want to do,” Grover added.

The building, Guru Teg Bahadur Bhawan, identified to house the library is located inside PU’s Institute of Social Science Education and Research (ISSER) was originally planned as a museum. It has three separate and interconnected floors. However it now wears an abandoned look six years later as the building continues to remain empty.

PU to rename building after Dr Singh

Speaking about this, V-C Renu Vig said, “It is too early for this and we have sent condolences to the family from PU’s side. In some time we will approach this afresh and make our case as to how much people in the university look up to the former PM and how PU also had a place in his heart. We would like to house his library here.”

Vig added that after they get clarity on the matter, and if the family chooses not to donate the books, then they will look at using the building for something else.

The varsity is also looking into a proposal to rename a facility after the former PM and PU alumnus to honour his legacy. This is along the lines of renaming the PU’s Fine Arts Museum after former alumnus BN Goswamy, who passed away in 2023. The varsity is yet to zero in what building to rename but its is likely to be one of the auditoriums in PU.