There is something very special about trailblazers. Without realizing it they set inordinately high standards for themselves and go about achieving their goals with a single mindedness that, to ordinary mortals, appears to be not human. On 14 July, 2009, Doordarshan, Jalandhar, telecast a program – Dheeyan Punjab diyan – featuring one such living legend. Inderjeet Kaur Sandhu was born in luxury. She was brought up in a feudal milieu during the pre-independence India. Going by the social norms prevailing in those days she could have easily slipped into the role of a housewife after going through some pre-determined motions of getting education and acquiring relevant skills in housekeeping and child rearing, coupled with requisite social graces and etiquette. But she was determined to walk off the beaten path. Fortunately, her parents were enlightened and backed her desire for a more fulfilling lifestyle. After doing MA in Philosophy from Government College, Lahore, she took up teaching as her profession. By sheer dint of ability she reached her career’s acme as the Punjabi University’s Vice-Chancellor – the first woman in North India and only the third in the world to become VC.

Another first to her impressive career has been the Chairmanship of the Staff Selection Commission, New Delhi – a post not held by any other woman so far. Presently confined to a wheel-chair, Inderjeet reminisced about her various stints as teacher, administrator and Principal in different institutions. Among her illustrious students is Gursharan Kaur, the wife of PM Manmohan Singh.

Right from the days of her youth she has been associated with charitable work too. As founder-secretary of the Mata Sahib Kaur Dal she had helped in the rehabilitation of about four hundred refugee families in Patiala in the aftermath of Partition. Moreover, her organization was instrumental in rescuing women and restoring them to their respective families on both sides of the divide. She also facilitated free education for girls from poor families. Indeed, DDJ has done a signal service by highlighting the persona of a role model par excellence.

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