Guru Nanak Dev University was established on November 24, 1969, at Amritsar to mark the 500th birth anniversary of Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji. It is both a residential and an affiliating university. Various departments at GNDU are Arts & Social Sciences, Economics & Business, Engineering & Technology, Life Sciences, Languages, Sciences, Laws, Physical Education, Humanities & Religious Studies, Sports Medicine & Physiotherapy, Visual Art & Performing Arts, Physical Planning & Architecture and Education. Some notable alumni of GNDU • Satinder Satti, anchor and actress • Amrinder Gill, singer and actor • Ranjit Bawa, singer and actor • Sugandha Mishra, singer and actress • Gurpreet Ghuggi, comedian and actor • S. Ajit Pal Singh, Indian Hockey Olympian and both Padmashri and Arjuna Awardee • Mr. Navdeep Singh Suri, IFS (Retd.), Former Ambassador to Egypt and UAE and High commissioner to Australia • Smt. Rajbir Kaur, Indian Women Hockey Player and Arjuna Awardee The University has been tracked by Nature Index among the top four institutions in Punjab and the top 10 institutions in North India. With a history of 50 years university aims to promote the Punjabi language and spread education among educationally backward classes and communities, along with the teachings of Guru Nanak Dev Ji.