“History is factual, and not shaped by narratives,” said GNDU Vice-Chancellor Prof (Dr) Karamjit Singh at an event to launch the book, “Sikh Sangharsh De Dastavez 1920-2022 (Sikh Struggle Documents)”, authored by senior journalist and writer Jagtar Singh.The book launch was followed by a discussion on the significance of historical documents in understanding the Sikh history.The VC said the book documented the Sikh history, adding that researchers could leverage the references and sources given in it to their advantage.Author Jagtar Singh said the book had been compiled with the objective of bringing together original documents related to the Sikh history and Punjab’s political and social journey; and making them available to readers and researchers. He said the book covered documents related to the historical period between 1920 and 2022.“The documents help establish the political and social circumstances prevailing at the time of an event and the positions taken by different parties,” he said.Senior journalist Gurdarshan Singh Bahia said Jagtar Singh had undertaken extensive research to compile the book that could be used by universities and research institutions.Bahia said the author had also attempted to explain the historical context of the documents, helping readers understand the circumstances in which they were prepared and the political situation around that time.Senior journalist IP Singh said historical documents were an important source for understanding the history of a society, country or movement. Referring to the documents included in the book, he discussed issues concerning Punjab’s waters, Sikh politics, Anandpur Sahib Resolution, events related to Sri Darbar Sahib and developments during different political periods.The GNDU VC stressed the need to strengthen Punjabi and preserve historical documents in digital archives.He said the university would extend cooperation to scholars and researchers.