New Delhi

President Droupadi Murmu nominated Chandigarh University founder-chancellor Satnam Singh Sandhu to the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday.

In a notification, the Home Ministry said President Droupadi Murmu nominated Sandhu to the upper house of Parliament.

Satnam Singh Sandhu, the son of a farmer, is one of India's leading educationists in the present day.

Taking to his social media handle, Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed delight at the nomination of Sandhu to the Rajya Sabha.

I am delighted that Rashtrapati Ji has nominated Shri Satnam Singh Sandhu Ji to the Rajya Sabha. Satnam Ji has distinguished himself as a noted educationist and social worker, who has been serving people at the grassroots in different ways. He has always worked extensively to… pic.twitter.com/rZuUmGJP0q

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 30, 2024

"He has always worked extensively to further national integration and has also worked with the Indian diaspora. I wish him the very best for his Parliamentary journey and am confident the Rajya Sabha proceedings will be enriched by his views," posted PM Modi.

Vice President and Rajya Sabha Chairperson Jadeep Dhankhar welcomed the nomination of Satnam Singh Sandhu and posted on X, "I welcome the nomination of Shri Satnam Singh Sandhu Ji to the Rajya Sabha. His rich work in community service and his passion for education, innovation and learning will be big sources of strength for the Rajya Sabha. I wish him the very best for his tenure."

Having struggled to attain education, agriculturist Sandhu made the creation of world-class educational institutions his life's mission.

He first laid the foundation of the Chandigarh Group of Colleges (CGC) at Landran in Mohali in 2001 and then went a step forward with the formation of Chandigarh University in 2012, which found a place in the QS World Rankings 2023, first among private universities in Asia.

The hardships faced in early life have also seen Chandigarh University Chancellor Sandhu turn into a staunch philanthropist who has extended financial help to lakhs of students to pursue quality education.

He is actively involved in large-scale community efforts to improve health and wellness and also to advance communal harmony through his two NGOs, the 'Indian Minorities Foundation' and the New India Development (NID) Foundation.

He has made a mark with his efforts for national integration at home and has worked extensively with the diaspora abroad.