Jun 24, 2014 - PATIALA: Sikh string instruments and Punjabi language have found yet another taker in the United States. Within a year of launching of online study centre in Gurmat Sangeet (Sikh religious music) by Punjabi university, Patiala, two US schools have registered themselves with the varsity to provide elementary and PG diploma courses in Gurmat Sangeet and Gurmukhi (Punjabi script) to students in the US.
One such school, Sikh Garden State, Bridgewater, New Jersey, has already enrolled 53 students for these courses and the second one, The Sikh Centre of the Gulf Coast Area, Inc, Houston, registered itself with the varsity this week.
Gurmat Gyan Online Study Centre of Punjabi University is coordinating with these schools. Gurnam Singh, founder professor and head, Gurmat Sangeet chair, department of Gurmat Sangeet, said the aim was to apprise the second and the third generations of Punjabis settled in the US of Sikh music, Punjabi language and culture.
"Although both the schools are open for admission to kids of every religion and race, so far only Punjabi students are getting training in these schools," he added.
He said this was the first of its kind initiative taken by any university to promote Sikh music and studies in United States.
"The schools have committed that they would enroll six students in each course, which would be of one to two semesters' duration. Classes and examinations of the students would be conducted online by Punjabi University staff sitting on Patiala campus," he said.
The programme would be completely online and students would be trained through the medium of audio-visual. The schools in the US would enroll students, organize weekly classes and help Punjabi University to conduct examination.
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Punjabi University Opens Online Sikh Study Center in the United States
Sikh24 Editors
PATALIA, Punjab (June 23, 2014)—
With the motive of promoting Sikh studies, and Sikh music i.e. Gurmat Sangeet, Punjabi University has established the ‘Gurmat Gyan Online Study Center’ at the Sikh Center of the Gulf Coast Area in Houston, USA.
Punjabi University (right) is the sole university in the world to have recognized Gurmat Sangeet as an independent academic subject in 2003. This is the university’s second such center including one in New Jersey.
Dr Gurnam Singh, department head of Gurmat Sangeet, said that the online course will be organized as audio-visual labs. He said the center will admit students into various courses and organize weekly classes. Dr Amritpal Kaur, director of online study center, and her team presented $5000 USD to the university’s vice chancellor Dr. Jaspal Singh, on Sunday.
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