Chandigarh, March 24 — Panjab University (PU) will officially rename its Arts Block 3, which houses the economics department, after former prime minister Manmohan Singh in an event scheduled for the end of April.
PU Vice-Chancellor Renu Vig said the university is coordinating with Singh’s daughter, historian Upinder Singh, who is expected to attend the event and deliver a colloquium lecture. The renaming is likely to take place on either April 25 or 26, though the final date is yet to be confirmed.
The university will also install a plaque detailing Singh’s life and contributions alongside the building’s new name.
Singh, an esteemed alumnus, earned his bachelor’s degree in economics from PU in 1952 and a master’s degree in 1954, topping his class. He later joined the faculty, serving as senior lecturer (1957–1959), reader (1959–1963), and professor of economics (1963–1965). PU awarded him an honorary Doctor of Literature (DLitt) in 1983 and an honorary Doctor of Laws (LLD) in 2009.
He maintained ties with his alma mater, returning in 2018 at the age of 85 to deliver the inaugural Prof SB Rangnekar Memorial Oration—his final visit to the campus.
PU has previously renamed buildings after distinguished alumni, including its Fine Arts Museum, which was dedicated to historian BN Goswamy following his death in 2023.
