This chair would certainly earn new landmarks in the area of research and it would broadly do research in the field of diverse Indian economy,' he added.

Besides this connection, Manmohan Singh, the first Sikh prime minister of the country has family roots in the neighbouring Punjab state. He also has a 500-square-yard house in the upscale Sector 11 here in Chandigarh.

'We are very happy that our department has got this coveted chair. It would certainly add new dimensions in the nature of research and projects undertaken by the department,' said a faculty member of the economics department.

PU, one of the oldest universities of the country, was established in 1882 at Lahore and was shifted to Chandigarh in 1956.