FOUNDATION OF MODERN EDUCATION: THE ESTABLISHMENT OF PUNJAB UNIVERSITY AND THE ROLE OF ANJUMAN-I-PUNJAB IN SHAPING REGIONAL EDUCATION IN COLONIAL PUNJAB

Abstract

Punjab’s educational history was incredibly rich, both in the pre-colonial and colonial eras. Before British intervention, Punjab had a flourishing system of education rooted in indigenous traditions. After the annexation of Punjab in 1849, the British used education as a key tool to establish control over the region and promote their colonial agenda. This article explores the foundation of modern education in Punjab, highlighting the contributions of G.W. Leitner and the Anjuman i Punjab in reviving oriental learning and promoting knowledge in vernacular languages, focusing on the establishment of Punjab University in 1882, its role in shaping regional education by analyzing its contributions to higher learning and the dissemination of knowledge in vernacular languages in colonial Punjab.