Jalandhar: Youth leading heritage conservation efforts

Jalandhar: As Punjab’s cultural heritage faces the challenges of modernisation and globalisation, a new force is emerging to protect it – the youth. Schools and colleges across the state are coming forward to inculcate a sense of responsibility in students, enabling them to become active participants in heritage conservation. The movement is being spearheaded by Major General (Retd) Balwinder Singh, convener of the Indian National Trust for Arts and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) Punjab, who is spearheading the initiative to engage young minds in protecting Punjab’s history. With support from INTACH’s Heritage Education and Communication Services (HECS) in Delhi, he has launched a massive campaign in educational institutions, urging students to take ownership of their cultural identity. Emphasising the role of schools in promoting engagement with history, he said, “Why can’t our classrooms be more than just centres of academic learning? They should also be centres of heritage conservation.” He said under this initiative, students are being encouraged to participate in heritage clubs that organise visits to historical sites, cultural competitions and conservation drives. He said many schools have already moved in this direction.

Bawa Lalwani Public School in Kapurthala has adopted the Moorish Mosque, while Spring Dale Public School in Amritsar has taken up the conservation of Pul Kanjri. APS-Beas celebrated Heritage Day with students wearing traditional Punjabi attire and RD Khosla DAV Model Senior Secondary School recently dedicated its annual function to showcasing the cultural richness of Punjab. “These activities provide practical experience to students, ensuring that heritage is not only read about but actively lived and preserved,” Singh said. He said the impact of these efforts is evident as students from Punjab are consistently excelling in national-level heritage competitions organised by HECS, with many of them bagging top prizes. He further said that INTACH, Punjab has already established over 100 heritage clubs in schools and plans to add 100 more every year. “To support this, INTACH will provide free educational material on cultural heritage and conduct capacity building workshops across the state,” he added.

Singing that he has full faith in the potential of Punjab’s youth, Singh stressed that heritage conservation should not be left to historians and conservationists alone. “Every structure, every art form, every tradition is part of our identity. Why should only a few people shoulder the responsibility of protecting what belongs to all of us?” he asked. He envisions a future where heritage conservation is a collective effort. Schools can undertake research projects on local history, form community heritage clubs and students can take on leadership roles in conservation activities. Recognising and rewarding young conservationists with academic credits, leadership positions and public recognition can further encourage participation. He said, “With INTACH leading the way, the movement to preserve Punjab’s heritage is gaining momentum. The question now is not whether it can be saved or not, but how many more people will join the effort to ensure that future generations inherit Punjab’s rich cultural heritage.”