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Cal State University East Bay now has a chair
in Sikh and Punjabi Studies
WSN Network
 EAST BAY (CALIFORNIA): History was made
when the California State University East Bay was connected to the
the Sikh Community with the announcement of the institution of the
“Dr. Ranjit Singh Sabharwal Chair in Sikh and Punjabi Studies. It
will be the first endowed chair of its kind in the CSU system.
On June 1, 2007, during their 50th Anniversary the university
inaugurated their new President; Dr. Mohammad H. Qayoumi who made
the historic announcement. Professor Sabharwal, who passed away July
23, 2006 at age 81, was a leader in the East Bay Sikh community and
at the university, where he taught mathematics since 1968. The chair
is named in his honor and carries out his dream of forging a
relationship between the Sikh community and the university he served
for four decades.
In 2003, the professor endowed the Sabharwal Family Scholarship Fund
for CSUEB mathematics students. But that was just the beginning of
his plans to connect the Sikh community with higher education. As a
way to preserve Sikh and Punjabi traditions for future generations
and to further understanding among non-Indians, Sabharwal dreamed of
endowing a chair at CSUEB to explore the language, culture, politics
and religion of his homeland.
The event was attended by about 2500 people including the Presidents
and the Chancellor of the 23 campuses of the California State
University System, the largest university system in the world,
Presidents of other universities and political leaders.
The evening Gala Event was attended by about 350 people; among them
were various business leaders and many prominent individuals. This
evening event started with an Ardas by Jagmohan Singh Sahni.
Dr. Mohammad H. Qayoumi is familiar with Guru Nanak's philosophy and
highlighted his speech by saying “ Baba Nanak Hinduon Ka Guru Aur
Musalmano Ka Peer”. The President then again talked about the
institution of the “Dr. Ranjit Singh Sabharwal Chair in Sikh and
Punjabi Studies”. During this evening dinner event his speech was
more elaborate regarding the Sikh Studies
 Chair and Prof. Sabharwal’s contributions to the community and the University.
"I'm very proud to be part of this collaboration between our
university and the Sikh community in creating the endowed chair in
Sikh and Punjabi studies," said CSUEB President Mohammad H. Qayoumi.
"Not only are we creating an important cultural and academic
resource, but we're also honoring Dr. Sabharwal, who for so many
years was a beloved member of this university."
This event was very well attended by the Sikh community, The Sikh
Foundation, Sikh Sports Association of USA and Punjabi Education &
Cultural Foundation.
Sabharwal was instrumental in founding the Sikh gurdwaras in Fremont
and Hayward and watched them thrive as the Bay Area Sikh community
grew from 20 families in the 1960s to more than 20,000 families.
"My father was always community-minded and also keen that we
maintain support for education as well," said his son, Paul
Sabharwal. "He used to say that 'the university is the temple of
education.'"
Now the university is to begin the selection process of the faculty
member who will hold the honorable title of the Dr. Ranjit Singh
Sabharwal Chair in Sikh and Punjabi Studies at California State
University East Bay .
Dr. Narinder Singh Kapany started the first Sikh chair at UC Santa
Barbara.Dr. Narinder Singh Kapany, widely acknowledged as the
"father of fiber optics," established the first North American chair
in Sikh Studies at UC Santa Barbara in 1998. Kapany is the founder
and chairman of the Sikh Foundation and a close friend of Professor
Sabharwal, earlier a trustee of the Sikh Foundation. Through the
foundation, Kapany is a tireless advocate for the promotion of Sikh
scholarly journals, books, art exhibits and connections to
universities. The foundation has also established Sikh chairs at UC
Riverside and UC Santa Cruz.
These education projects are an important way for Sikhs to ensure
that younger members of their community know their heritage. He also
sees education as a way to promote tolerance for those who follow
Sikh traditions.
The College of Letters, Arts and Social Studies will begin
recruiting for a professor to fill the endowed chair in the next
academic year, said interim Dean Benjamin Bowser. The college will
begin offering interdisciplinary courses in 2008 once a professor
has been hired and a curriculum established.
6 June, 2007
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