M A I L B A G

Ignored talent is national loss

EVERY sober and intelligent Indian laments, like Dr Amrik Singh, the brain-drain caused by the discouraging attitude adopted by the destructive powers that control not only the universities but every established institution. Timely recognition of a talented person and his/her work may result in richness of our society and culture. But I differ with the writer a little on the subject of progress. India has progressed very much but in corruption, nepotism and factionalism.

Dr Amrik Singh has aptly and pertinently criticised the attitude of Dr J.S Puar, V.C. (retd) of Punjabi University, who perhaps had been more conspicuous for such negative approach. In support of this assertion I may add that I had with the special permission of the copyright agency of a foreign land, translated a classical novel into Punjabi. Due to its popularity it had been translated into 48 languages of the world and Punjabi was the 49th. As the novel had been authored by a freedom fighter himself and is related to the freedom struggle, I proposed to Punjabi University to publish it during the year of the golden jubilee celebrations of our Independence, being the most relevant work. When the proposal was put before the VC he rejected it saying that there was no need for such a work.

In another experience, being a doctorate student in history of Punjab I had contributed a research paper at the Punjab History Conference, which is held under the aegis of Punjabi University. Usually, the adopted paper is published in the proceedings of the conference. But I was stunned to see that neither my paper nor its synopsis and nor even my name figured anywhere in the proceedings. The matter was brought to the kind notice of Mr Puar, who did not bother to pay any attention even to the reminder. Ignored talent is many a time nipped in the bud which is a national loss as Dr Amrik Singh points out. But the question is: Who bothers about the nation?

SWARAN SINGH SANEHI
Shahpur (Phillaur)

Real picture

With reference to the claim made by Mr T.N. Mishra, Director, RCC, in response to the article published in The Tribune dated June 3, “ Computer institutes woo students” I would like to say that all the claims made by him do sound good, but lack reality to the core.

I am a student of the RCC and I think students know better than anyone else what the RCC really is and what it pretends to be. Some of the main features of education standard followed by the RCC are as follows:

l No doubt our beloved institute is providing latest courses to match the current market trends, but interestingly it doesn’t even have qualified faculty for it. Teachers themselves admit that they are made to teach those topics which they themselves have never gone through.

l Faculty members are appointed on the basis of the certificates possessed by them. Least care is taken about whether the person has the ability to teach or not. Certain faculty members in the staff possess engineering degrees but they can’t even explain the basics of Windows.

l Mr Mishra may feel proud for acquiring accreditation for conducting B-Level and C-Level courses, but I would request him to come out of his cabin and hear the problems of students.

l We have a decent library-cum-reading room, but most of the times it looks more like a canteen being the favourite place of chatting for some RCC staff members.

l The student complaints fall on deaf ears, if they have some problems regarding faculty members. Even Sr. Trainee Officers find themselves helpless at times when a complaint is regarding a faculty member for whom there is soft corner in the heart of our dearest Director.

Rest of the things in our institute are O.K., accept that some of the students feel betrayed after joining, just because of its reputation in the market.

I hope things get better for the welfare of students and the field of information technology.

JATIN CHAWLA
Chandigarh

Traditional arts

With great interest I’ve read the article “Declared magic a performing art, urges Sankar” (June 2). I am not so interested in magic but generally in preservation of the tradition. The author mentioned in the text that there are 64 traditional Indian arts. Is it possible to get full list of these? I plan my next visit to India (Himachal Pradesh) soon and I’d like to take some photographs of people who are still working in a traditional way.

For almost eight months I’ve travelled in different parts of Himachal Pradesh. I have spent quite a long time in Baspa valley — very nice winter 1996-97 (Kinnaur district). My second visit to HP was as pleasing as before. But let me briefly introduce myself. I am an ethonologist working in the institute of Ethnology and Cultural Anthropology on Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznan (Poland).

In my work I focus on highlanders’ culture and especially on their traditional ways of life. As a main subject of my interests I have chosen pastoral economy. It means that I am looking for not only plain description of a form of rearing animals but I also try to collect any data connected with links between man and domestic animals in different domains of everyday life. Now I am writing my PhD thesis on the role of the animals in Kinnaur, Lahuli and Spitian cultures. I hope that it will be interesting not only for me but also for anybody who is going to spend some time in Kinnaur district. Your readers are welcome to inform me about 64 traditional arts at the e-mail address phinca@amu.edu.pl.

PRZEMYSLAW HINCA
Poznan (Poland)