The first (and only) woman Vice-Chancellor of north India came alive on TV screens in thousands of homes in north India when Jalandhar Doordarshan broadcast a Punjabi documentary in its Dhian Punjab Dian (Daughters of Punjab) series.

Inderjit Kaur Sandhu studied at Government College, Lahore and returned to Patiala to teach, and to learn, she was among the first batch of students who formally studied Punjabi as a post graduate subject for her Masters in Punjabi from Govt. Mahindra College, Patiala.

She taught in Chandigarh, headed various colleges in Punjab and became Vice-Chancellor of Punjabi University, Patiala (1974-1977). When she attended the International University Presidents’ Association in Boston, she was one of the three women Vice-Chancellors in the world.

She was also Chairman, Staff Selection Commission, New Delhi from 1980-1985, during which period the commission saw tremendous growth in the number of candidates and was set on a firm footing.

The Doordarshan team, led by Producer, Kulwinder Kaur Buttar, came to our home in Chandigarh on March 13, 2009. She was accompanied by Cameraman Hardev Singh and Recordist Joginder Pal.

Of course, it brought memories of another team that had come years ago to make a film on the late Giani Gurdit Singh, my father, who was awarded the Godrej No. 1 Doordarshan Panj Pani Sanman 2005 for contribution to the Punjabi heritage and culture. For many of us, clips of the late Giani Gurdit Singh ji that were imaginatively used by the Doordarshan team, were also of great significance.

Thanks to friends who recorded the video which was first telecast on July 13, we now have it for everyone to share. Enjoy.