Bhoogol Ratan Award

Dr. G. S. Gosal, Professor Emeritus, Department of Geography, Panjab University, Chandigarh, has been conferred Bhoogol Ratna Award posthumously by NAGI in recognition of his distinguished contribution in teaching and research in geography. Trained by Professor G.T. Trewartha, he was founder in developing the field of research in Population Geography in India.

16th APG Meet and National Conference

The 16th APG Meet and National Conference on 'Changing Mountain Environment, Resource Utilization and Sustainable Livelihood', was organised by the Department of Geography, University of Jammu on September 28-29, 2015. About 100 delegates from different parts of the country such as Aligarh, Mumbai, Rohtak, Shimla, Kolkata, Ludhiana, Chandigarh, Patiala, Hisar, Kurushetra, Delhi, Jodhpur, Gonda, Faizabad, Jammu and state of Kerala participated in the conference.

Lifetime Achievement Award

Professor M. N. Kaul and Professor G. B. Singh, Department of Geography University of Jammu have been conferred Lifetime Achievement Award by the Department for their distinguished contribution in the field of teaching and research, during the inaugural session of the 16th APG Meet and National Conference. Prof. M.N. Kaul worked in the field of 'Glaciology' while Prof. G.B. Singh's area of research remained 'Forest Ecology'. The research of both the scholars towards 'Sustainability of Mountain Environment' has been well recognized in the academic as well as professional world.

Meritorious Students Award


APG honoured the meritorious students namely Suman Kushawaha, Tsering Dorjay, Rohit Sharma and Rajnish Pangotra of the Department of Geography, University of Jammu who cleared UGC, JRF Examination even before clearing their M.A/M.Sc. examination in Geography on 16th APG Meet at Jammu.

17th APG Meet and National Conference

17th APG Meet and National Conference is being organized by the Post Graduate Department of Geography, SCD Govt. College, Ludhiana on November 4-5, 2016.

The thrust area of the conference will be:
Dynamics of Population, Environment and Regional Development: Issues and Challenges.

Important Decisions of the Executive Committee


Meritorious Students Award:
It has been decided that APG should start honouring the meritorious students who clear UGC-NET-JRF examination before passing their PG Exam of the department/college hosting APG Meet as it has been done in case of Jammu University. If such student/s is/are not there, the topper student of the University at PG Level of the Department/ College which is holding annual meet of APG should be honoured. If no student comes in both the categories award shall not be given.

Token of Gratitude: It has also been decided that a 'Token of Gratitude' be presented to the Department/College, hosting APG Meet. Sending reprints of paper published in 'Punjab Geographer' to the concerned departments of the Government To encourage the applied research in geography and to let the people know about the potentialities of the subject, it has been decided that the reprints of papers published in 'Punjab Geographer' which has some applied value should be sent to the concerned department of the government by the APG on the address provided by the author/s.

'Punjab Geographer' a Joint Publication To widen the scope of “Punjab Geographer,” to make it academically more sound and for its longevity, the Association of Punjab Geographers (APG) and Institution of Spatial Planning and Environment Research, Panchkula have joined hands to make it a joint publication. Therefore, hence, onwards it will be a joint publication of both the organizations.

Condolence Resolutions

It has been very painful to know the sudden and untimely demise of Miss Mahima Chatranta, research scholar, Department of Geography, Himachal Pradesh University, Shimla, who left us for her heavenly abode on October 23, 2015 just about a week before her 29th birthday. The Association of Punjab Geographers deeply mourns the untimely demise of a young student of geography. This is an irreparable loss to the family as well as geographers. With her untimely departure, we have lost an outstanding student and a promising young researcher. We pray to the almighty God to provide peace to the departed soul and strength to the bereaved family to bear the loss.

The Geospatial Information Regulation Bill , 2016

A Bill to regulate the acquisition, dissemination, publication and distribution of Geo-spatial information of India which is likely to affect the security, sovereignty and integrity of India and for matters connected therewith or incidental is to be enacted by the Parliament in the Sixty-Seventh Year of the Republic of India. It prohibits the acquisition, publication and use of geospatial information including maps without obtaining licence from authorities concerned.

Penalty for illegal acquisition of geospatial information of India: Whoever acquires any geospatial information of India in contravention of section 3, shall be punished with a fine ranging from Rupees one Crore to Rupees one hundred Crore and/or imprisonment for a period up to seven years.

17th APG Meet and National Conference

Post Graduate Department of Geography, SCD Govt. College, Ludhiana is going to organize 17th APG Meet and National Conference on November 4-5, 2016.

The thrust area of the conference will be:
Dynamics of Population, Environment and Regional Development: Issues and Challenges.

New Department of Geography

Opening of new Department of Geography at Sri Mata Vaishno Devi University, Katra, (J&K) Professor Sudhir K. Jain, Vice Chancellor, Sri Mata Vaishno Devi University, Katra made an announcement about starting Post Graduate Course in Geography in the University at Katra during his address in the inaugural session of the 16th APG Meet at Jammu. Association of Punjab Geographers is thankful to him for making the announcement a reality by opening the P .G. Department of Geography under the faculty of Social Sciences in recognition to the need and importance of Geography as a subject for teaching and research. APG also appreciates the efforts of the Department of Geography, University of Jammu, towards the establishment of this new department.

Young Geographer Award 2016

Dr. Saminderjit Singh Young Geographer Award Competition, 2016:

This competition will not take place at the APG Meet at Ludhiana, because, the Executive Committee of APG in its meeting at Ludhiana is going to review it in detail to come up with a strategy to make it more meaningful, broad based and competitor friendly.

9th Annual State Level Geographical Quiz Contest

Maintaining its annual feature, having a focus on the purpose to motivate students for geography, Department of Geography S.C.D. Govt. College, Ludhiana organized 9th Annual State Level Geography Quiz on 15.01.2016 in collaboration with Association of Punjab Geographers. Eleven teams from various colleges of Punjab participated in it. A Preliminary test was conducted for short listing the teams. Five teams namely; Govt. Rajindra College, Bathinda, Govt. Mohindra College, Patiala, Lyallpur Khalsa College, Jalandhar, Govt. College for Girls, Ludhiana and Baba Farid College, Deon, Bathinda qualified for the final round. Finally, Govt. Rajindra College, Bathinda got First position, Lyallpur Khalsa College, Jalandhar got Second position and Govt. Mohindra College, Patiala got the Third position.