Prof. M.L. Sondhi Memorial Lecture – II: India China
Relations
The Second Prof. M. L. Sondhi Lecture was held on February
20, 2017. It was hosted by the designated and appointed agency - an esteemed
educational institution – DAV College in Jalandhar, Punjab under the aegis of
Prof. M.L. Sondhi Trust headed by Ms.
Madhuri Sondhi, the illustrious and
gracious wife of Late Prof. Manohar Lal Sondhi an alumnus of DAV College
Jalandhar. The lecture was delivered by an eminent diplomat and a China
watcher, Ambassador Ashok Kantha, on the theme “The Current Dimensions of the
Global Role of China and India-China Relations” The lecture was well attended by
students and faculty of the college and also by the cross sections of the academia
in and around Jalandhar.
Before joining the audience at the college auditorium for the
lecture, Chief Guest Ambassador Ashok Kantha and other important guests were
received and conducted by Principal Dr. S.K Arora to the college’s Hall of Fame
located at the sanctum sanctorum of
the 100 acres of sprawling premises of the institution.
It was a journey down
memory lane adorned by the photographs of distinguished visitors and an eminent
galaxy of the college alumni from different walks of life. Being one of the
humble alumni of the esteemed college, I felt elated and was filled with a
sense of satisfaction with step in step with my Alma mater.
At the auditorium, the venue of the lecture, Ambassador Ashok
Kantha, Ms. Madhuri Sondhi and other guests were received by the representatives
of students with garlands and bouquets with the traditional rituals of Tilak
and chanting of Vedic mantras led by Seth Kundan Lal, Chairman of the Local
Advisory Committee of
the college. The guests were conducted to the High table
which was lined up by the Keynote speaker Ambassador Ashok Kantha, flanked by
Ms. Madhuri Sondhi and Jalandhar Police Commissioner Arpit Shukla who presided
over the function along with Seth Kundan Lal, Principal Dr. S.K. Arora, Dr. Rajeev
Kunwar and Prof. Sharad Manocha and I,
myself. I was touched by the grace and magnanimity showered on me by my alma
mater. The function started with the DAV anthem and lighting of traditional
lamp.
Principal S.K. Arora welcomed the Chief Guest and other
guests and said it was a matter of pride for them to host Prof. M.L. Sondhi
Memorial lecture instituted in the name of one of their own alumni. Chairperson
of Prof. M.L. Sondhi Memorial Trust Ms. Madhuri Sondhi apprised the audience
about the Trust and thanked the management of the DAV College for hosting the
second lecture in the memory of her late husband. She thanked, especially,
Ambassador Bal Anand for his unstinted support in identifying the right and
befitting key note speaker, Ambassador Ashok Kantha, for the occasion. Principal
Jagdish Chander Joshi, a renowned scholar of history and a prolific exponent of
Urdu poetry, spoke with conviction and authority about the life and values of
Prof. M.L. Sondhi. Quoting Faiz Ahmed Faiz, Prof. Joshi paid glowing tributes
to Prof. Sondhi and said:
Meri Zindagi Ka Maqsad,
Ke Har Ik Ko Faiz Pahunche;
Main
Chraagh-e-Raah-e-Manzil, Mujhe Har Koi Jalaai.
(Rendered into English, the couplet will be worded thus – The
purpose of my life is that everyone should benefit through one’s deeds; I am a
sort of lamp indicating the path leading to destiny and thus everyone should
light this lamp for others)
Prof. Sharad Manocha introducing the Keynote Speaker said
that Ambassador Ashok Kantha was an eminent personality and authority on
India-China Relations and added that the lecture will be a land mark in the
calendar of activities of DAV College.
Ambassador Ashok Kantha, as it was expected, gave a dispassionate
and objective overview of the subject of the lecture “The Current Dimensions of
Global Role of China and India-China Relation” to the fully engaged audience. Ambassador
Kantha said China was already a global power with a big stake in the world
order. He termed India-China Relations as ‘difficult’ which often comes ‘under
stress’ due to historical and strategic reasons. He added that given the status
of both India and China, we needed to look ‘beyond bi-lateral aspects of the
relations’. He mentioned about the desirability of ‘multi-polar world and
multi-polar Asia’. Referring to the increased interest of China in Pakistan and
our other neibhouring countries, Ambassador Kantha said that it will remain so
and termed it as ‘investment for the future’. Concluding his lecture,
Ambassador Kantha said that it was gratifying to note that in spite of
difficulties the India-China Relations are saddled with positives. He pleaded for ‘strategic maturity’,
pragmatic approach and fresh agenda to provide impetus to the relations for a
‘simultaneous rise’ of both the great countries. The lecture was followed by an
interactive session which was lively with interesting and relevant questions
from the students. It appeared they must have prepared themselves for the day
under watchful guidance by their teachers and trainers.
Police Commissioner of Jalandhar Arpit Shukla in his brief
Presidential remarks appreciated Ambassador Ashok Kantha for his topical
address and thanked the college for inviting him. Though I was not a listed
speaker yet to my happy surprise I was also invited to the podium to say a few
words. It was an honour for me. I
recalled my association and interaction with
my senior colleague Ambassador Kantha and thanked him for a thought provoking
lecture as one of the finest diplomats of India. Braking from the seriousness
of the subject, I thought of narrating a few anecdotes, to lighten the
atmosphere, from our personal experiences of exciting incidents during our stay
in Beijing (then Peking). It brought down the house to a relaxing state. The
function was concluded and rightly so by a Vote of Thanks by Prof. Rajeev
Kunwar, Dean of DAV College Alumni Association followed by the National Anthem.
We will look forward to many more such good activities in
this centenary year of DAV College Jalandar in the run up to the 3rd
Prof. M.L. Sondhi Lecture in February, 2018.
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