The Makers of Modern Punjab: What They Had To Say

Dr Kharak Singh, was an agricultural economist par excellence, brilliant scholar of Sikhism, thinker, visionary, ideologue and Sikh servant.He was the founder of many institutions and organisations, dedicated Sikh philanthropist, besides being an ideal, selfless Sikh leader and a trailblazer, all rolled into one. After his Doctorate from Ohio State University in the US, he excelled in his chosen professional field of agriculture at the state, national and international levels.After serving the FAO, an agency of the UN, as an expert in several countries for about 14 years, he took a voluntary retirement from his lucrative international assignment to work for laying down the contours of a paradigm for the resurgence of Sikh society and its institutions.

Dr. Prithipalssingh is a Senior reader in Botany Kirorimal College. He has been teaching since 1971. The special interest in which he is recognized as an expert include, besides Plant Taxonomy, Biodiversity Studies, Ecology and Environmental Biology. He has published numerous research papers in national and International Journals. Dr. Prithipal Singh served on the National Consultation Committee for discussing the 'State of the Environment report of India 2001' prepared by the United nations Environment Programme. He has completed a project on "Status of biodiversity conservation in Punjab" for the Forest department, as a member of the tata Energy research Institute team. As a consultant for Biodiversity with "The Energy Institute (TERI)", Dr. Prithipalsingh participated in several world bank funded research projects of the Uttar Pradesh/Uttranchal State Forest department. He has obtained first hand information in the effect of ‘fire', grazing', 'collection of non-timber forest products' and 'natural regeneration'; focusing on the ground realities for evaluating the impact of different parameters necessary for formulating "management recommendations".