New chapter: DU plans UG course on Sikh resistance during Mughal period
Spanning the time frame between 1500 and 1765, the course traces the evolution of Sikh identity through episodes of resistance — from the martyrdom of Sikh gurus to the rise of Sikh warriors like Banda Singh Bahadur. It will be offered by the Centre for Independence and Partition Studies as a four-credit generic elective based on Undergraduate Curriculum Framework, 2022, making it accessible to students across disciplines.
The course will be tabled for approval before the Academic Council of the University slated to meet on July 5. The final decision lies with the Executive Council, DU's highest decision-making body.
You Can Also Check:
Delhi AQI
|
Weather in Delhi
|
Bank Holidays in Delhi
|
Public Holidays in Delhi
According to the curriculum, the course aims to "throw light on the moral basis of emergent struggle by Sikhs to resist religious persecution" and "focus on the neglected social-religious history of martyrdom in the Indian context."
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
5 Books Warren Buffett Wants You to Read In 2025
Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List
Undo
It also aims to "encourage critical and reflective engagement with Sikh history, especially the legacy of martyrdom, from a moral and socio-political perspective."
The syllabus is divided into four units. The first unit begins with an overview of how Sikhism emerged, the conditions in Punjab under the Mughal empire, what martyrdom means in the Sikh tradition, and the contributions of the early Sikh gurus from Guru Nanak Dev to Guru Ramdas.
The second unit looks at how the Mughal state used its power to suppress Sikhs. It focuses on the lives and martyrdom of Guru Arjan Dev and Guru Tegh Bahadur, as well as the responses to state policies during the time of Guru Hargobind and Guru Harkrishan. It also includes the stories of Bhai Mati Das, Bhai Sati Das, and Bhai Dayala.
The third unit delineates the forging of Sikh identity by Guru Gobind Singh by organising community and by opposing the "misdeeds of the Mughal State".
It also covers the struggle of Sikhs under Guru Gobind Singh, their battles, the martyrdom of Sahibzadas, the rise of Banda Singh Bahadur, his victorious battles and his martyrdom.
The final part focuses on other key Sikh warriors and martyrs and their struggle in encountering "religious bigotry of Mughal rulers and foreign invaders". It also highlights important places linked to Sikh history, such as Sri Harmandir Sahib, Anandpur Sahib, Sirhind, Gurdwara Sis Ganj, Gurdwara Rakab Ganj, and Lohgarh Fort.
The syllabus includes field visits along with documentary screenings and engagement with translated primary sources like Tuzuk-i-Jahangiri and Bichitra Natak.
The course's learning outcomes state that students will be able to "understand the historical and religious basis of Sikh resistance and martyrdom," assess the "repressive strategies of the Mughal state," and critically engage with how Sikh history has been remembered and narrated.
Welcoming the initiative, Manjinder Singh Sirsa, Delhi cabinet minister and former president of the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC), said the course was a long-overdue recognition of the Sikh community in mainstream education and a timely addition ahead of the 350th martyrdom day of Guru Tegh Bahadur in Nov.
"DU's effort to highlight how the community stood up to religious persecution under Mughal rulers or foreign invaders is not only historically accurate but essential for national awareness.
Our younger generation must know the price their ancestors paid for justice and faith," he told TOI.
Sirsa added that the "teachings of Sikh gurus like Guru Nanak or Guru Tegh Bahadur hold relevance in the current socio-political times and must be taught to students."
However, the course has drawn criticism from a section of DU teachers for its alleged controversial framing.
"The proposed paper is a cause of much concern as it stretches the era of struggle for independence from British colonial rule to the earlier Mughal rule.
The course conceals the fact that the Mughals were well assimilated within Indian society. While they unleashed many kinds of oppressions — a general feature of all medieval political players — they did not facilitate a drain of wealth from India to outside and rampant racism, both of which were the hallmarks of British colonialism," said professor Maya John, an academic council member.
"Further, for their sustenance, the Mughals nurtured local alliances across religious communities, including the Sikh community, which consequently paved the way for many syncretic traditions and a flourishing social mosaic. Such courses will have an adverse effect on the ways in which future citizenry of the country will reflect back on their past," she added.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
34 minutes ago
- Time of India
Elon Musk wants to shut down the International Space Station for which Donald Trump just sanctioned $1.25 billion; says time to focus on ...
The world's richest man and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has triggered a debate by urging the retirement of the International Space Station (ISS), calling it a relic that's holding back humanity's cosmic ambitions. On July 3, Elon Musk took to Twitter to repost a summary of space-related funding in President Donald Trump's latest tax bill, which allocates $1.25 billion to sustain the ISS through 2030. Musk's blunt response: 'It's time to retire the Space Station and focus on Mars'. Musk's post sparked a heated online debate, with supporters cheering his bold vision and critics defending the ISS as a cornerstone of global scientific collaboration. The ISS, said to be a marvel of engineering orbiting 250 miles above Earth, has been a hub for groundbreaking research since its first module launched in 1998. But at over two decades old, the station is showing its age. NASA has acknowledged that critical systems, including life support and structural components, are nearing the end of their operational life. The tax bill also includes $325 million to fund a safe deorbit process by 2030, signaling that the station's days are numbered. Last year, NASA awarded SpaceX an $843 million contract to build a U.S. Deorbit Vehicle to guide the ISS to a controlled reentry, ensuring it burns up safely over a remote part of the Pacific Ocean. Why Elon Musk wants ISS deorbited Elon Musk argues that the ISS's mounting maintenance costs -- estimated at $3-4 billion annually -- are a drain on resources that could be better spent on humanity's next frontier: Mars. 'The ISS was a great achievement, but it's a 20th-century project,' Musk said in a follow-up post on Twitter. 'If we want to become a multi-planetary species, we need to stop tinkering with old hardware and go all-in on Mars.' His vision for a self-sustaining Martian colony has been a cornerstone of SpaceX's mission since its founding in 2002, with the company's Starship rocket designed to carry crews and cargo to the Red Planet. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Providers are furious: Internet access without a subscription! Techno Mag Learn More Undo What supporters of International Space Station say Critics, however, argue that Musk's push to abandon the ISS overlooks its ongoing contributions. The station hosts experiments in microgravity that have advanced medical research, materials science, and our understanding of long-term space habitation -- knowledge critical for Mars missions. 'The ISS isn't just a lab; it's a symbol of what nations can achieve together,' said Dr. Ellen Stofan, former NASA chief scientist, in a statement to Reuters. 'Dismissing it prematurely risks losing that momentum.' The ISS is a joint effort of the United States, Russia, Europe, Japan, and Canada, and its cooperative framework has weathered geopolitical tensions, including recent strains with Russia over Ukraine. Elon Musk's 'time to retire ISS' divides the internet Public reaction on Twitter too reflect the divide. 'Musk is right—ISS is a money pit. Mars is the future,' posted user @SpacePioneer2030, echoing sentiments from those who see the station as outdated. Others, like @AstroGeek42, countered: 'The ISS still delivers science you can't get anywhere else. Why ditch it before we're ready?' The debate underscores a broader tension in space policy: balancing immediate scientific gains with long-term exploration goals. NASA's current plan keeps the ISS operational until 2030, with private space stations like Axiom Space's proposed orbital habitat expected to fill the gap. But Musk's comments suggest he'd rather see that transition happen sooner. SpaceX, which already ferries astronauts and supplies to the ISS, is positioned to play a key role in both the station's end and the next chapter of space exploration. The company's reusable rockets have slashed launch costs, making ambitious projects like Mars missions more feasible. The tax bill's funding for the ISS and its deorbit underscores a pragmatic reality: the station's end is inevitable. Yet Musk's call to shift focus to Mars raises questions about priorities in an era of constrained budgets and competing global challenges. As one senior NASA official, speaking anonymously, told The Washington Post, 'Elon's not wrong that Mars is the big goal, but the ISS is still teaching us how to get there. It's not an either-or situation—yet."
Time of India
40 minutes ago
- Time of India
DU nod to course on Sikh martyrdom
New Delhi: 's academic council on Friday approved a new general elective course on Sikh martyrdom, draft guidelines for undergraduate research, and several new skill-based courses, including one on radio jockeying. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now A proposal to allow students to earn a portion of their course credits online through the govt's SWAYAM platform drew objections from some teachers and was referred to a committee for further review. The new general elective, "Sikh Martyrdom in Indian History (c.1500–1765)", developed by the Centre for Independence and Partition Studies, seeks to familiarise students with Sikh resistance movements and episodes of religious persecution. It includes field visits, archival sources, and documentary screenings. Among the Skill Enhancement Courses (SECs) approved were modules in radio jockeying, vacuum technology, eco-printing on textiles, medical diagnostics, digital tools for interior design, and methods in epidemiological data analysis. The council also passed guidelines for implementing the fourth-year dissertation component under the Four-Year Undergraduate Programme (FYUP) from the upcoming academic session. Three academic tracks — research dissertation, academic project, and entrepreneurship — have been outlined, with clarity on supervisor eligibility, committee structures, and evaluation. However, several teachers voiced strong objections, calling the proposed framework "unrealistic" and "unsustainable" in its current form. They argued that the guidelines place undue pressure on students and faculty without any realignment of teaching hours or infrastructure support. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now "The outcomes listed are not based on any study of current outputs," one faculty member said, adding that a student–teacher ratio of up to 10:1 for dissertation supervision is "unmanageable" and that the maximum load should not exceed three to four students per teacher. Faculty also criticised the suggestion to fund lab and project infrastructure through student fees and HEFA loans, warning that this could raise student costs and overburden non-teaching staff. Meanwhile, the proposal to allow students to earn up to 5% of their total programme credits through SWAYAM and MOOCs—8 credits for UG and 4 for PG students—was not passed and will be examined by a committee. Some academic council members raised concerns that even a 5% cap could create academic inconsistencies and dilute classroom engagement, despite the UGC's 2021 regulations allowing up to 40% credits from such platforms. The council also approved an extension of two years for students from the 2016–17 batch to complete their degrees and clear backlogs, citing transitional disruptions due to changes in curriculum frameworks. Several new UG and PG programmes based on UGCF 2022 and PGCF 2024 were also approved by the council.
India Gazette
40 minutes ago
- India Gazette
Argentina: PM Modi pays tribute at San Martin Memorial in Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires [Argentina], July 5 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tribute at the San Martin Memorial in Buenos Aires on Saturday morning (local time) after arriving in Argentina on the third leg of his five-nation tour. The Monumento al General San Martin is an imposing equestrian monument honouring Jose de San Martin, the revered liberator of Argentina, Chile, and Peru. It stands as a symbol of Latin American independence and is a significant site of national pride in Argentina. PM Modi's visit to the memorial underscores India's respect for global freedom fighters and shared values of liberty and sovereignty. Modi landed at Ezeiza International Airport earlier on Friday and is on an official visit at the invitation of the President of the Republic of Argentina, Javier Milei. His itinerary includes holding bilateral talks with Milei to review ongoing cooperation and explore ways to deepen the India-Argentina partnership in key sectors such as defence, agriculture, mining, oil and gas, renewable energy, trade and investment, and people-to-people ties. Following his arrival, the Prime Minister was warmly received by members of the Indian diaspora outside his hotel. He witnessed a traditional Indian dance performance and interacted with the enthusiastic crowd, who chanted 'Bharat Mata ki Jai' and 'Modi-Modi' to welcome him. Expressing his gratitude, PM Modi said in a post on X, 'Distance is no barrier when it comes to cultural connect! Honoured by the gracious welcome from the Indian community in Buenos Aires. It is truly moving to see how, thousands of kilometres away from home, the spirit of India shines brightly through our Indian community.' He also wrote, 'Landed in Buenos Aires for a bilateral visit which will focus on augmenting relations with Argentina. I'm eager to be meeting President Javier Milei and holding detailed talks with him.' Members of the Indian community and local artists hailed Modi's efforts to promote India's cultural and global stature, making his visit a moment of pride and celebration for the diaspora. Prime Minister Modi's engagements in Buenos Aires not only reflected India's commitment to strengthening bilateral ties with Argentina but also showcased the enduring spirit of the Indian diaspora. Their heartfelt reception, marked by cultural performances and chants, underscored the deep bonds that connect Indian communities across the world with their roots. (ANI)
