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Tinsel Town Tinkle
Amritsar-born Rajesh Khanna was India’s first ‘super star’
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Ailing actor Yash Sharma, who has played
character roles in more than 100 Hindi and Punjabi films, with a portfolio of
his photographs
Kids behind wheels pose danger; Authorities admit increase in underage driving
cases
Crop-diversification
imperative, say experts
Santa DRIVE(s) home oral hygiene message, distributes toothbrushes
to kids during Christmas carnival
Headmasters’ Association to honour retired headmasters
1200 students participate in chetna shivir; ‘Meera’
School for rag pickers
gives new dreams to children
Shiromani Hindi Sahit Award for Dr H.S. Bedi
Indo-Pak
friendship set for new chapter
Air Deccan: Bad weather delays first flight
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Tinsel Town Tinkle
India leads the world in the production of films, with more than 800 Indian films rolling out from Mumbai and other metropolitan cities annually. However, hardly a film is produced in Mumbai without major contribution of Punjabis. It may be surprising to know that Rajesh Khanna was born on December 29, 1942, in Amritsar . Khanna , Jeetandra and Vinod Mehra were students of the local DAV College. The film industry’s strong man and Rajya Sabha Member, Dara Singh, his younger brother, Randhawa, and brother-in-law Guratan Aulakh, who has earned a name for himself in Punjabi films, too, belong to this district.
Famous film actor Rajinder Kumar was married in Amritsar. Parveen Kumar, who enacted the role of “Bhim” in Mahabharta, Dipti Naval, Ajay Devgan’s father — Veeru Devgan, Akshay Kumar (Chowk Passian), Joginder Tiger, Anju Mohinderu, Kavita Chaudhary of “Udaan” fame and famous villain Ranjit, Thakur Tpaswi — a film producer, Gursharn Singh, Sukhbir of “Man Jite Jagjit” fame, Deep Dhillon, Harjit Walia, Mahanvir Bhullar, Vastav , Sudarshan Sharma, Amrit Paul, (villain of Hindi feature film “Jaal”), Daljit Kaur, Hardip Gill, Ved Sharma — the list is long and impressive. Hindi films boast of a billion-plus audience on the Indian subcontinent alone. Jaswant Singh Jass, a journalist who himself starred in Hindi and Punjabi movies, said that the local Open Air Theatre was once the hub of theatre activities where known film personalities like Prithvi Raj Kapoor and Balraj Sahni used to stage plays. Balraj Sahni loved Amritsar so much that he constructed his house at Pareet Nagar, a few km from the city.
Not only this, Amritsarites have achieved an envious place in the music world of Mumbai. Right from the most famous play back singer Mohammad Rafi, who was born at Kotla Sultansingh, near Amritsar, to Narinder Chanchal, Mohinder Kapur, Sukhwinder, famous Urdu Ghazal singer — Bhupinder and Jaspal Singh — all belong to Amritsar. Interestingly, students from various local colleges have performed bhangra and gidha in many Hindi and Punjabi movies. In addition to stars and singers, many music composers, too, are from Amritsar. The theatrical groups of Gursharn Singh (who himself acted in many feature films) — Amritsar Natak Kala Kendra, Shiromani Natakar Kewal Dhaliwal’s Manch Rangmanch, Harjit Gill and Jagdish Sachdeva’s groups, also produced many actors who left their mark in the film industry. Gurinder Makana (34), Jagjit Kaur and Jaswant Singh Jass are the most famous actors of the new generation. After he played the role of a villain in Hindi feature film “Hawain”, Makan caught the attention of high-profile producers from Bollywood. Makan’s new film “Ab Tumare Hawale Watan Sathio”, which was released this week, has earned him lot of fame. His acting in Hindi films, including Train to Pakistan (Pamela Rookes), Jungle (Ram Gopal Sharma), Munna Bai MBBS, Anarth, Mujhe Kujh Karna Hai, Luv Ke Liye Kujh Bhi Karega, Anarth was appreciated by film critics and analysts. Amritsar also created a history in the film world when shooting of the Punjabi film “Addi Tappa” was completed with all-women cast . All artistes of the to-be-released film are students of the local BBK DAV College. This college’s senior lecturer, Ms Jagjit Kaur, has acted in many Punjabi films. The local artiste, Harbhajan Jabbal (63), was the first “Gursikh actor” who entered the film industry in sixties with the role of a policeman in “Mahi Munda”. Gursharn Singh, Inderjit Saharan, Jaswant Singh Jass and then Arvinder Bhatti played impressive roles in feature films with unshorn hair. These four artistes from the city broke the myth that only clean-shaven artistes were acceptable in the Bollywood. Most of the Amritsari actors joined the film industry as a “hobby”. Says Harbhajan Jabbal, “Films gave me recognition but not money.”
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Film on Baba Deep Singh set to roll
A group of young Sikhs has ventured into projecting the sacrifice made by a Sikh warrior, Baba Deep Singh, on the celluloid. This is perhaps the first film in which most of the actors would be “Gursikhs”. The film would be made in English, Hindi and Punjabi languages.
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‘Hero’Yash Sharma faces bad days
Yash Sharma (71), a film actor from the city, has been facing bad days of late. He had played the major roles in more than 100 Punjabi films, apart from some Hindi films. The four-decade-old association of Sharma with Bollywood can be seen from the fact that his film career started in 1966 when he played a role in the black and white film — Khed Preetan Di. The popular films of Sharma include “Mere Apne”, “Shehnshah” (both Hindi films), “Sarpanch”, “Mele Mittran De” and “Mitter Pyare Nun”. For almost three decades, no Punjabi film was considered complete without his role .
The hero of yesteryears has suffered a paralytic attack and is bed-ridden today. Neither the state government nor the local artistes have bothered to visit him. He said Punjabi film had no future until state government exempted films from entertainment tax. |
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Smoke-spewing condemned three-wheelers pollute city; DC warns of strict action
Smoke spewing from three-wheelers fitted with two-stroke engines and fuelled by petrol and diesel autos is nothing new for city residents. But the situation has worsened due to the substantial increase in the number of three-wheelers, commonly known as autos, over the years.
The problem is aggravated due to the use of adulterated fuel oils. An official of the District Transport Office said that some of these three-wheelers were being run on kerosene and diesel leading to the worst form of pollution. Outdated three-wheelers further compound the problem. A large number of condemned three-wheelers landed in the city from Delhi after the CNG fuel was introduced there, reveal sources. These small two-stroke cabs daily sprinkle hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, lead, unburnt lubricating oil in streets and on roads. According to medical experts, these emissions could cause diseases like hypertension, nervous problems, throat and eye infections, cancer and heart ailments. However, the problem is not irremediable. An executive of an automobile company said that the state-owned Indian Oil Corporation Limited had developed a catalytic converter for three-wheelers with two-stroke engines. He said the innovation helped in reducing the emission of carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons. Mahindra and Mahindra Ltd had developed battery-powered three-wheelers, while TVS-Suzuki Ltd had developed a bi-fuel LPG two-wheeler, the executive added. Another expert said that the problem of pollution from three-wheelers had reached an alarming proportion in Dhaka, Bangladesh. To rectify this, Bangladesh had imported four-stroke engine models from India and Thailand. “If a neighbouring country could take advantage of our expertise, why have we failed to make use of it,” he asked. Meanwhile, deputy commissioner, in an order passed on December 15 under Section 144 of the CrPC, warned of strict action against those found to be using kerosene oil as fuel. He ordered that illegal three-wheelers be taken off road within 30 days, failing which punitive action would be taken by the administration. Keep vehicles in good condition
Experts say that by using quality two-stroke engine oil, auto-drivers could not only save money but also reduce emissions significantly. Regular servicing and repair of vehicles are critical to curbing air pollution from vehicles. |
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Amritsar International Airport being given a facelift; Facilities to be
operational by August 2005
The new building of Amritsar International Airport would be completed in the mid of the next year. It would become operational from August 2005.
Mr G.K. Chaudhary, General Manager (Engineering), Airports Authority of India (AAI), told Amritsar Plus that despite inclement weather, the work was in full swing. He said that men and machines were working day and night for the completion of the new building. When asked about the delay in the completion of the airport construction, he said that with the commencement of various new airlines to the holy city, the number of passengers had increased manifold. At present, the number of passengers was about three lakh per year, which was three times more than the expected number of passengers, he added. He said due to this, a number of changes had to be made in the original design, and several new proposals, including construction of another air bridge and further extension of taxi track for aeroplanes, were in pipeline. Mr Chaudhary said the latest facilities were being provided in the new building of the airport to facilitate the passengers coming from all over India and abroad. He said that the entire airport would be fully air-conditioned. For this, air-conditioning plants were being set up. He said imported material was being used in the construction of new building of the airport which would have two escalators, two passenger lifts, arrival baggage conveyer belt with 60 mt length, common user terminal (CUT) system with eight checking counters, underground public address system and close circuit cameras. A new telephone exchange is also being set up for the airport, besides establishing a power sub-station of 2200 KV. The GM, Airport Authority of India, said that control tower was almost near completion with only finishing touches remaining to be given. He said cargo building had already been completed and that any type of aeroplane could now land at Amritsar International Airport. He said airport authority was also contemplating to install a sewage disposal plant where all sewage would be treated and then used for gardening, washing and other such purposes. He said that for the first time advanced lightening arresters had been installed at the airport. |
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Kids behind wheels pose danger; Authorities admit increase in
underage driving cases
Blatant violations of traffic norms by school children remain unchecked in the city. Most of these students are underage and they drive vehicles without any valid licence. “It’s a common sight to see students wearing school uniforms whizzing past on scooters and bikes,” says a teacher.
Another teacher, Ms Sarabjit Kaur, says that it has become a fad for students these days to own scooters and bikes. “These teenagers love to flaunt their vehicles,” she adds. School authorities say that they often discourage students from bringing vehicles in schools. But most of the times, this has no affect. “The students park their vehicles at nearby parking spaces. In such situation, we can do little,” says a principal of a public school. “Something must be done about underage driving. Many road accidents can be averted if teenagers are not allowed to drive,” says Ms Seema Mehra, who teaches in a reputed school. She adds that parents, too, should see to it that their children don’t put their own lives and those of others at risk. Mr Bhupinder Singh, District Transport Officer (DTO), said that as per rules, children in the age group of 16 years to 18 years could get a learner’s license issued only for vehicles that did not have the gear system. Admitting that juvenile driving had increased in the past few years, he said about 600 learners’ licences had been issued this year. He said that the district transport authorities, along with the traffic police, would enforce the use of helmet from the first week of the year 2005. The problem of underage driving, too, would be looked into, he said. |
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Crop-diversification
imperative, say experts
It’s diversify or stick to the same pattern at your own peril. Crop diversification is the need of the hour, according to experts. The Chairman and Managing Director of the Oriental Bank of Commerce, Mr B.D. Narang has strongly advocated for the diversification of crops in view of the stagnation in agricultural produce due to two-crop pattern here.
The Chairman made these comments while presiding over a mega agricultural loan mela function held at Khasa. He also announced the sanction of Rs 49.22 crore advances under various agriculture and SSI schemes to over 1605 recipients. He said that it was imperative to emulate the example of Israel and China. Both these countries had channelised their resources to launch a major diversification pattern. He said that farmers must start agro-processing units and stop their total dependence on agricultural produce. He said there were various crops like herbal medicine plants, floriculture and horticulture, which needed to be taken up to help the farmers. Mr Narang, who has been declared the “Banker of the Year”, said that the bank was willing to consider new proposals to enhance the income of the farmers through innovative methods in advancing loans. He said that the bank would provide more loans against collateral securities to encourage farmers to diversify into small agro-processing units to make them self-reliant. The Deputy General Manager, Mr Ashok Verma, informed that the bank proposed to enhance the agriculture lending from the present Rs 75 crore to Rs 150 crore in the border belt by the next year. |
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Santa DRIVE(s) home oral hygiene message, distributes toothbrushes
to kids during Christmas carnival
Santa Claus perched on a chariot and distributing toothbrushes and toothpastes is a rare sight. However, city folks got to see it, courtesy the Dental Research Institute of Versatile Education (DRIVE).
DRIVE had organised the “Christmas Kids Carnival” in form of oral health education and awareness campaign to mark the Christmas day. Contrary to the common practice of distributing sweets, chocolates, toffees and candies, Santa Claus distributed dental health education brochures, toothbrushes and toothpastes. Dr Puneet Girdhar, President, DRIVE, said that the aim of DRIVE was to make people aware of oral health. “It is necessary to make people aware about oral diseases. Children need to be told about the importance of oral hygiene,” he added. A chariot carrying Santa Claus became an attraction for passers-by, especially children. “Beautiful Smile” competition was also held on the occasion. Sixty children participated in the contest.
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Rare trees at Ram Bagh may
die; Visitors ignorant,
administration indifferent
At least 20 rare trees, which normally grow in the Himalayan and Nilgiri hills, were planted in the historical Ram Bagh during the rule of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. Some of the trees are nearly 200 years old. Spread over 84 acres of land, the garden came into existence in 1818 as the summer palace of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. However, today the flora of the garden is facing apathy of all concerned. Dr Suresh Chohan, a member of INTACH, said that it was quite difficult for these trees to survive in the prevailing environment here. Therefore, for their upkeep, a plan enlisting the names of rare trees, their benefits and the ways to preserve them was submitted to the municipal corporation some two years back. However, nothing concrete had been done so far. He said there was an urgent need to take care of the garden; otherwise the precious flora might be lost. Pointing towards some simbal trees, Dr Chohan said, “It is not easy to find them with tremendous girth and huge shady spread, at least in the state.” He said a number of these trees, particularly their leaves, fruit, flowers and barks, had medicinal properties. But due to ignorance, these medicinally valuable tree-parts were being disposed of in wastebaskets. According to an expert, Dr Jaswinder Singh Bilga, the garden had a treasure of some rare trees. Referring to the oldest available tree of Gingo biloba, he said it was used in making homeopathic medicines. Diospyrose cordifolia, commonly known as Tendu, and Akash Neem are other trees used in preparing medicines. Kadam is a tree that has a special place in Hindu mythology. The garden has a small number of palm trees, but the possession of a couple of Royal Palms (Oreodoxa regia) makes it unique in the northern region. The variety is normally found near the coastal areas. The tropical trees — Mahogany (Swietenia mahogani) and Sarinh (Albizia procera) can also be seen in the garden. Standing aloof, “junglee badam” (Sterculia alata) attracts attention by its dark green leaves. It is the favourite of horticulturists for its straight growth and it is used extensively in urban landscaping. A 200-year-old Ashoka (Polyalthia longifolia) at the entrance of the garden from the Mall Road welcomes visitors to the garden. The rare tree of camphor, with its huge girth, is the favourite haunt of senior citizens. The garden has a number of black and white eucalyptuses. It also has three varieties of trees used in Ayurvedic medicines — harar (Terminallia chevula), behera (Terminallia bellerica) and mahua (Madhuce). It’s a pity that very few are aware of these rare trees. Perhaps, a concerted effort to create awareness among people and also to keep pollution at bay is the need of the hour.
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Headmasters’ Association to honour retired headmasters
The Headmaster’s Association here has decided to honour the services of the former headmasters, who retired in the past four years.
A function in this regard would be organised on January 15 here. Mr Mohan Singh Cheema, District Education Officer (Secondary Education) would preside over the function and Mr Om Parkash Soni, MLA, would be the chief guest on the occasion. This was decided in the meeting of the association chaired by Mr Joginder Singh Bharti, District President of the association. He informed that as many as 21 headmasters would be honoured. The list includes the names of Mr Khajan Chand (Wadala Johal), Mr Tarsem Singh (Dhotian), Mr Umarjit Singh (Mehma), Ms Ajit Kaur (Ibban Kalan), Mr Shyam Sunder Rishi (Athwal ), Ms Amarjit Kaurm (Mannan Wala), Ms Harwinder Sehmi (Sheron), Ms Sarabjit Kaur (Mehlan Wala), Ms Upma Behal (Heir), Mr Inder Mohan Monga (Bhillowal Pacca), Ms Rajinder kaur (Padhri), Ms Gurdeep Kaur Ghai (Khiala Kalan), Ms Kavita Arora (Mudhal), Ms Surjit Kaur (Chhajal Waddi), Mr Kulwant Singh (Thoba ), Mr Devi Dayal (Kayampur), Mr Gurdas Rishi (Wadal Bhittewidd), Ms Jagir Kaur (Uggar Aukhal), Ms Usha Verma (Gopalpura) and Ms Devinder Brar (Sohian Khurd). Mr Bharti added that Ms Nishith Khanna and Ms Usha Mehta, both headmistresses, would be honoured for their contribution to the association and good performance in the educational field. The association had also decided to honour social worker, Dr Avtar Singh Ahuja, stage artiste Jaswant Singh Saggu, and Principal, Mr H.S. Kathanian, on the occasion. |
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1200 students participate in chetna
shivir; ‘Meera’ mesmerises audience
It was talent at its best display during the
presentation of the play "Meera" enacted by students of DAV
Public School, Jaipur, at the local DAV College for Boys.
The play
enabled viewers a peep into the life of one of the most revered saints
of the Bhakti Movement. The play was a part of the six-day-long Vedic
Chetna Shivir for girls that started from December 24. Directed by
Prof M. L. Goel, the crisp dialogue of the play coupled with Rajasthani
and Brij dialects kept the viewers glued to the seats. The story unfolds
when Meera, as a child, listens to tales of Lord Krishna and visits a
temple along with her mother. Meera almost forgets her surroundings.
Bowing to family pressure, she reluctantly marries Prince Bhojraj. The
presentation was artistic. It was made even more interesting with the
addition of dance and bhajans. Each scene was embellished with suitable
songs written by Meera in the praise of Lord Krishna. Colourful
Rajasthani folk dances were another remarkable feature of the camp. As
many as 1200 students from various DAV institutions of Punjab, Himachal
Pradesh and Rajasthan participated in it. Mr Dhani Ram, Principal of
the college, said that the aim of the camp was to inculcate moral
values, guru-shishya tradition and to teach yoga and Vedic values to the
students. For this purpose, he said, the students residing in the
college hostel were following a daily schedule chalked out to imbibe
these values in them. In morning, they performed yoga and yajna and
later took part in the educative session in which they listened to the
lectures of renowned religious leaders. He said that in evening they
were given different topics on which they presented their views. He
added that renowned scholars of Arya Samaj, including Swami Sumedhananda
of Dayananda Mutt, Chamba, and Swami Divyananda Saraswati from Almora
spoke on the Vedic philosophy. Brig (retd) Chitranjan Sawant, a renowned
radio and TV anchor, expressed his views on the Vedic philosophy. |
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School for rag pickers gives new dreams to children
About nine years back, parents of rag pickers used to advise Sardar Singh not to waste his and their children's time. But today, they are cooperating with him to provide education to their wards. They are now even worried about their children's performance in their classes.
Nishkam Sewa Public School - a school for children of rag pickers and downtrodden sections of society - being run by Sardar Singh (60), a retired FCI employee, has become an inseparable part of their lives. Aarti, class V student, says, "This school has taught me the value of education. I come here early in the morning. Our teachers even give us tea and biscuits before starting the classes." With the initial strength of 10 students in 1996, the school today has a total of 100 children from nursery to class V. "But it was not that easy," says Sardar Singh. He had a tough time convincing rag pickers to send their wards to his school. He says things have now changed, as the parents even encourage other families to send their children to the school. Initially, it was only Sardar Singh who used to work in the school as a teacher, caretaker and sponsor of books and writing material. Now the school has four teachers, including his wife Elizabeth, who work voluntarily. Besides free education, the students are given books, notebooks, stitched uniform, shoes, morning tea, medical aid and other facilities. The school is running at a roadside near the office of the civil surgeon. Besides getting donations from a number of non-government organisations (NGOs) from all over the country, the school is also getting aid from NRIs and other social organisations from abroad. A group of about 20 persons is helping Sardar Singh in the smooth running of the institution. Bibi Inderjit Kaur, President, All-India Pingalwara Society, was so impressed with the school that she has started visiting it regularly since the past four years. The society is also donating Rs 2000 per month for the smooth working of school. The children studying in the school now dream of a better future. Som Nath, a student of the school, said that he wanted to be a doctor. And there are many more like him who dream big!
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Shiromani Hindi Sahit Award for Dr H.S. Bedi
Dr Harmohinder Singh Bedi, a man of letters, does not require any introduction. He is considered to be a towering figure in the field of Hindi literature. A Senior Professor in the Department of Hindi and Head of Kabir Chair in Guru Nanak Dev University, Dr Bedi was recently awarded with "Shiromani Hindi Sahit Award" by Choudhry Parvaiz Elahi, Chief Minister, West Punjab (in Pakistan), during the World Punjabi Conference organised at Punjabi University, Patiala. He was conferred with this award for his invaluable contribution to Hindi literature.
He has 10 books to his credit, including national award-winning Garm Loha, besides Pechan ki Yatra, Pratham Swachhandta Vadi Upnyaskar Babu Brajnandan Sahai, Hindi Sahitya Itihas Lekhan Ke Paschatya Srot, Guru Gobind Singh Aur Punjab Ka Hindi Veer Sahitya, Punjab Ke Hindi Sahitya Ka Itihas. He has edited 12 books and translated four books, including Tagore Ki Jeevani, Aurobindu Ashram Ki Maan. Dr Bedi has also written 11 textbooks. National award-winner for Garm Loha, a Hindi poetry book, he has also authored three books in his mother tongue, Punjabi. These are Sahit Sabdarbh, Guru Nanak Ate Bharti Sanskriti and Mahan Darshnik Aurbindo. Dr Bedi is Hindi Advisor to the Government of India (Labour Ministry). With specialisation in medieval Hindi literature and historiography, he presented about 200 research papers and articles during his 30-year-long career. He was also involved in three UGC projects, including Hindi Literature in Gurmukhi script (1986), Vidya Durbar of Guru Gobind Singh (1996), Punjab's Contribution to Hindi Literature (2003). About 30 students have completed their doctorate under his guidance. He has also been honoured by the president of India, on behalf of the Hindi Sahitya Akademi for his contribution. He was conferred with the title of "Kavi Ratan" by UP Sahitya Academy in 1987 and "Shiromani Sahityakar" by UP Government in 2003. He has been the coordinator of Swami Vivekananda Study Centre, UGC, Head of Satguru Ram Singh Chair, Guru Nanak Dev University and Chief Editor of Sahitya Abhiyan, a half-yearly literary magazine published from New Delhi. |
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Donate blood to usher in New Year: B.M. Singh
It would be a New Year celebration with a difference. For this 67-year-old man, age is no bar to donate blood. He has made all-out efforts to make this New Year a unique one by organising a blood donation camp. Rotarian B.M. Singh, a retired railway engineer, has convinced twelve of his friends and relatives to donate blood in this camp.
The camp would be the 14th regular annual function to be organised by him to donate blood. He has been donating blood since 1973 and has donated it 40 times. Since 1990, he has been welcoming each New Year by organising blood donation camp at railway station health unit. Not only does he donate blood himself but also he motivates others to serve humanity in this manner. He felt sad when he could not donate blood on January 1, 2004, as he was suffering from some heart problem and doctors had advised him against donating blood. He has been appreciated by the Indian Red Cross Society (IRCS) and other social organisations for his work. His photographs have been displayed on the notice board of blood bank run by the ICRS. He has pledged his eyes for donation after death and convinced three others to do the same. He loves to read Urdu poetry. His wish is to operate a mobile hospital van. The van would cater to needs of rural areas and also help in his mission of promoting eye donation. He dream is to continue inspiring people to pledge their eyes for donation and to motivate them to donate blood. |
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‘Hard work, perseverance lead to success’
Determination is the key to success. By clinching the gold medal in the triple jump event of the 13th Asian Masters Athletic Championship held at Bangalore in the first week of December, Dr Sukhdev Singh from the Department of Physical Education, Guru Nanak Dev University, entered the international arena of sports. He beat 22 players in the final round.
It was his long-cherished dream to represent the country in international sports. Owing to his performance in various championships in 2004, he qualified for one of the biggest athletic events of veterans - the World Masters Athletic Games to be held in Canada in July 2005. Son of a national-level weightlifter, Major Harbans Singh, he was inspired to join games from his childhood days. Earlier this year, he secured one gold and two silver medals in the 25th National Masters Athletic Championship (NMAC) in triple, long and high jumps, respectively. He began to participate in the veteran athletics from the last year. His first participation was in the Punjab Masters Athletic Championship (PMAC). He claimed top honours in all three events, including long, high and triple jumps. He repeated the same feat in this year's state championship for veteran games. He claimed three gold medals in long, high and triple jumps in the 24th edition of the NMAC too. A student of the local Hindu College, he represented the college from 1985 to 1987 in the Guru Nanak Dev University Inter-College Athletics Meet. His liking for athletics, coupled with hard work and dedication, earned him several state and national honours. Besides a sportsperson, Dr Sukhdev Singh is an academician too. He has done his doctorate in sports psychology. A teacher of Anatomy, Physiology and Research Methodology, Dr Singh is an inspiration to his students. A believer in perseverance and hard work, he practices regularly daily. "Systematic approach is very essential. There are no shortcuts to success," he adds. |
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Indo-Pak friendship set for new chapter
Indo-Pak friendship is all set for a new chapter. Reiterating his earlier stand, the Chairman of the World Punjabi Conference, Mr Fakhar Zaman, who was here, again called for the formation of a Joint Commission in India and Pakistan for removing the distorted historical facts from the text books up to graduation level.
Interacting with the students of the Khalsa College for Women here, he said that the historical facts in the textbooks of both countries were distorted with the passage of time after the Partition by vested interests. There was an urgent need to remove these distorted facts. He added that he had taken up this matter with the chief ministers of both East and West Punjab during the World Punjabi Conference held recently in Patiala. He said Bhagat Singh, Madan Lal Dhingra, Udham Singh were all heroes of both Punjabs, having common history, culture and He informed that Gurmukhi Punjabi had been made compulsory in post graduation in Punjabi language in West Punjab. He said it would be made necessary to clear the Gurmukhi paper for the post graduation degree. Exchange of delegations of students and faculty members was a must for clearing misunderstandings between the two nations, according to Dr Zaman. There was some change in the attitude of hardliners and fundamentalists, he said. "The fundamentalists cannot alienate themselves from the people who are now convinced that war is not the way to solve any dispute. Although the change is a little but it is a qualitative change," he added. He reiterated that there was a need to resume trade ties between India and Pakistan through the Wagah joint check post. At present, Pakistan had trade ties of about Rs 6500 crore with India which it was doing via Dubai. He said if the trade started from the Wagah joint check post, it would give a good market to traders of both countries. He said there should be multiple visa facilities between SAARC countries. He also favoured the starting of Amritsar-Lahore bus service.
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Air Deccan: Bad weather delays first flight
The inaugural flight of Air Deccan from Delhi eventually landed at Rajasansi international airport at 4 pm against the scheduled arrival of 11.30 am on December 24 due to heavy fog.
The presence of thick fog played a spoilsport. The inclement weather kept 28 passengers, including Mr Navjot Singh Sidhu, Member Parliament from Amritsar, on tenterhooks for many hours. Mr John K Kuruvilla, Chief Revenue Officer and Head (Commercial) of Air Deccan, informed that the regular flight of the airways on Delhi-Amritsar-Delhi route would commence from December 27. He added four seats would be available for Rs 500, while the remaining seats would be available at the price ranging from Rs 2200 to Rs 2800. Mr Sidhu, while talking to this correspondent, said that the daily flight would fulfil the long-standing demand of city residents. He added that it would give impetus to tourism and trade as well.
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Bollywood in Amritsar. It may seem a case of mix up. But those familiar with the city know about its contribution to the tinsel town. In fact, the city has emerged as the “mini Bollywood”, where shooting of many Hindi and Punjabi films takes place.
Dr Harmohinder Singh Bedi, a man of letters, does not require any introduction. He is
consid ered to be a towering figure in the field of Hindi literature. A Senior
Professor in the Department of Hindi and Head of Kabir Chair in Guru Nanak Dev
University, Dr Bedi was recently awarded with "Shiromani Hindi Sahit
Award".
Remove historical distortions in books, reiterates Zaman
Bollywood in Amritsar. It may seem a case of mix up. But those familiar with the city know about its contribution to the tinsel town. In fact, the city has emerged as the
“mini Bollywood”, where shooting of many Hindi and Punjabi films takes place. What’s more, the city has the distinction of being the birthplace of many film stars, who have left an indelible mark in the film industry.
Uzra Butt (92), a famous actress from Pakistan, was nostalgic when she visited Amritsar. Recalling the “golden days” she spent in Amritsar, Butt said that she and her sister, Zohra Sehgal, used to visit the city with Prithvi Theatre and Indian Peoples’ Theatre Association before the Partition. While Uzra Butt migrated to Pakistan, her sister stayed back. The two sisters conceived and enacted a dialogue between them — “Ek Thee Nani”, which drew packed houses in India and Pakistan.
