Virasat - Sikh Heritage Centre | Sri Guru Gobind Singh College

Inauguration of Virasat — Sikh Heritage Centre

Heritage at SGGS

A tribute to Guru Gobind Singh Ji — the first Sikh Heritage Centre in the tri-city

The Virasat — Sikh Heritage Centre is a unique space at Sri Guru Gobind Singh College developed in collaboration with the Panjab Digital Library. A project that spanned two and a half years, the Centre was inaugurated on 28 September 2024 by the Hon’ble Vice Chancellor of Panjab University, Professor Renu Vig.

The Centre is a tribute to Guru Gobind Singh Ji and focuses on his life, teachings and sacrifices — bringing together paintings, historical artefacts, manuscripts and a study area in a single immersive learning space, the first of its kind in the tri-city.

Inside the Centre

What the Centre houses

An immersive collection that brings the life of the Tenth Guru into direct view for students, scholars and visitors.

27 Detailed Paintings

Twenty-seven detailed paintings depicting key episodes from Guru Gobind Singh Ji’s life.

Trilingual Descriptions

Each painting carries its description in English, Hindi and Punjabi so that students and visitors from diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds can engage with it easily.

Historical Artefacts

An array of historical artefacts — swords, spears, arrows and manuscripts related to Guru Gobind Singh Ji.

Library & Study Area

A dedicated library and study area developed to support the academic and research needs of students.

In Collaboration

Developed in active collaboration with the Panjab Digital Library over the course of two and a half years.

First of Its Kind

The first dedicated Sikh Heritage Centre of its kind anywhere in the tri-city.

Three Pivotal Objectives

Why the Centre matters

The Virasat — Sikh Heritage Centre fulfils three pivotal objectives, integrating curriculum, NEP-aligned skill courses and heritage preservation.

Curriculum Support

Covers 20% of the syllabus of History and History & Culture of Punjab. Students can now visualise the events of Sikh history they read about, alongside the immersive displays and artefacts of the Centre.

ii.

NEP-Aligned Practical Learning

Supports new courses introduced under the NEP — a Skill Enhancement Course on Museology and Conservation, and a Value-Added Course on Visit to Museum and Exhibitions — offering students a practical platform to study museum practices and artefact preservation techniques.

iii.

Heritage Preservation

Actively preserves Sikh heritage — safeguarding paintings, manuscripts, weaponry and cultural memory for future generations of students and scholars.

The Vision Ahead

From learning space to research hub

Looking ahead, our vision is to develop the Virasat — Sikh Heritage Centre into a research hub where students and scholars can access a wide range of resources for in-depth studies in Sikh history, manuscripts, weaponry, cultural studies and museum practice.

This initiative aligns with the College’s commitment to combining education with heritage preservation — creating a space that inspires learning, exploration and a renewed engagement with the legacy of the Tenth Guru.

Virasat — Sikh Heritage Centre, featured view

“A space where students do not just read about Sikh history — they walk through it, examine its artefacts, and carry its values forward.”

Reference Collection

A growing on-site reference library covering Sikh history, manuscripts, museology and cultural studies.

Student Research

A practical site for NEP courses on Museology and Visit-to-Museum, where students learn by working with real artefacts.

Scholarly Access

An academic point of contact for visiting researchers, alongside continuing partnership with the Panjab Digital Library.

Curated Programmes

Lectures, exhibitions and visits open to schools, universities and the wider community throughout the year.

Inauguration — 28 September 2024

A milestone moment for the College

Featured Activity — February 2025

Educational & Heritage Trip to Amritsar

13–14 February 2025

Virasat — Sikh Heritage Centre, in collaboration with the Rotaract Club, organised a two-day Educational and Heritage Trip to Amritsar with 50 students and 5 faculty members.

The trip provided students with hands-on exposure to Sikh history alongside visits to historically significant museums and sites, enhancing academic knowledge while letting them experience the culture firsthand.

Sites visited

Sri Anandpur Sahib
Virasat-e-Khalsa, Anandpur Sahib
Jallianwala Bagh, Amritsar
Sri Darbar Sahib, Amritsar
Central Sikh Museum, Amritsar
Partition Museum, Amritsar
Shaheed-e-Azam Bhagat Singh Museum, Khatkar Kalan

Featured Activity — April 2025

Khalsa Saajna Diwas — “Historical Sikh Shastar” Exhibition

11 April 2025 · Sardar Hari Singh Nalwa Hall. The Centre marked Khalsa Saajna Diwas (Baisakhi) with a one-day exhibition titled “Historical Sikh Shastar” on weaponry from the Misl period, with 300 students and faculty members in attendance.

The exhibition was curated and presented by Dr Harpreet Singh, Assistant Professor in the Department of Music (USSS & USE), Rayat Bahra University, Mohali. It showcased a remarkable collection of traditional Sikh weaponry — swords, spears and shields — reflecting the glorious martial legacy and spiritual strength of the Khalsa Panth.

The objective was to apprise students of Sikh history and provide hands-on knowledge of the weapons of the Sikhs.

Eminent Visitors

Distinguished guests & scholars

Over its first two sessions the Centre has welcomed a wide range of visitors — parliamentarians, scholars, philanthropists, alumni and educators — alongside students from schools and universities across the region.

21 February 2026

MP Malvinder Singh Kang

Member of Parliament from Punjab, with Professor Jograj of the Department of Punjabi, Panjab University.

27 February 2026

S. Manmohan Singh Kumar

Chairperson, Sikh Human Development Foundation (SHDF).

17 October 2025

Dr Gurpal Singh Bhuller

General Secretary, Sikh Human Development Foundation (USA).

13 January 2026

Mahender Saini

ADC Haryana and OSD to Chief Minister Naib Saini, with Hitesh Kaplish (lawyer, Australia).

3 March 2026

Mr Baljit Singh Bath

Social Activist and philanthropist (USA).

More Visits

Schools, universities & the wider community

23 September 2025

Govt. Model High School, Sector 22

40 students & 5 faculty.

31 October 2025

Rayat-Bahra University, Kharar

38 students & 2 faculty.

12 December 2025

Sant Prem Singh Khalsa High School

60 students & 7 faculty.

16 April 2026

Alumni Annual Meet Visit

60 alumni guests.

Activities Report

A complete record of visits and events

Activities organised at, or hosted by, the Virasat — Sikh Heritage Centre across academic sessions 2024–25 and 2025–26.

No.	Event	Date	Participants
Session 2024 – 2025
1	Educational & Heritage Trip to Amritsar In collaboration with the Rotaract Club; included Sri Anandpur Sahib, Virasat-e-Khalsa, Jallianwala Bagh, Sri Darbar Sahib, Central Sikh Museum, Partition Museum and Shaheed-e-Azam Bhagat Singh Museum.	13–14 Feb 2025	50 students 5 faculty
2	Khalsa Saajna Diwas (Baisakhi) — “Historical Sikh Shastar” Exhibition Exhibition on weaponry of the Misl period at Sardar Hari Singh Nalwa Hall, curated by Dr Harpreet Singh (Rayat Bahra University, Mohali).	11 Apr 2025	300 students & faculty
3	Student Visit — Sacred Heart Senior Secondary School, Sector 26 Visit organised by the Centre, with welcome and interaction by Principal Dr Jaswinder Singh.	21 May 2025	183 students 5 faculty
Session 2025 – 2026
4	Student Visit — Government Model High School, Sector 22 Welcomed by Principal Dr Jaswinder Singh; guided by Dr Bhajan Singh and supporting faculty.	23 Sep 2025	40 students 5 faculty
5	Special Guest Visit — Dr Gurpal Singh Bhuller General Secretary, Sikh Human Development Foundation (USA).	17 Oct 2025	4 guests
6	Student Visit — Rayat-Bahra University, Kharar, Punjab Guided by Dr Bhajan Singh and supporting faculty.	31 Oct 2025	38 students 2 faculty
7	Eminent Punjabi Scholars Visit Prof. Deepak Manmohan (Retd, Panjab University; Former Director, World Punjabi Centre), with S. Balwinder Singh Lalli Dhanoa (USA), S. Paramjit Singh Pammi Bhullar and Sikh historian S. Gurbir Singh Brar.	24 Nov 2025	6 guests
8	Student Visit — Sant Prem Singh Khalsa High School, Begowal, Kapurthala Guided by Dr Bhajan Singh, Dr Amritpal Singh, Dr Navjot Kaur, Dr Jagwinder Singh and Ms Rihana.	12 Dec 2025	60 students 7 faculty
9	Special Guest Visit — Mahender Saini & Hitesh Kaplish ADC Haryana and OSD to CM Naib Saini, with Hitesh Kaplish, lawyer from Australia.	13 Jan 2026	5 guests
10	Special Guest Visit — MP Malvinder Singh Kang Member of Parliament from Punjab, with Professor Jograj, Department of Punjabi, Panjab University.	21 Feb 2026	5 guests
11	Special Guest Visit — S. Manmohan Singh Kumar Chairperson, Sikh Human Development Foundation (SHDF).	27 Feb 2026	6 guests
12	Special Guest Visit — Mr Baljit Singh Bath Social Activist and philanthropist from USA.	3 Mar 2026	4 guests
13	Parents’ Visit during Annual PTM Parents explored the Centre after the PTM and were briefed by Principal Dr Jaswinder Singh and the Museum In-Charge Dr Bhajan Singh.	4 Apr 2026	20 guests
14	Alumni Visit during Annual Alumni Meet Alumni of the College visited the Centre during the Annual Alumni Meet.	16 Apr 2026	60 guests

Plan a visit — Schools, universities and groups interested in visiting the Virasat — Sikh Heritage Centre may write to the Centre’s coordinator, Dr Bhajan Singh (PG Department of History), through the College Office.