 |
|
| EDUCATION TRIBUNE |
|
|
|
Teaching Punjabi online
A language can flourish if it keeps pace with time and technology. Punjabi University, Patiala, was set up to further the cause of Punjabi language, literature and culture. Working for its objective, the university not only promotes the language through literature and allied activities, but it is also exploring the technological front. As any other language, Punjabi can benefit immensely from the technological tools, which can take it to people far and wide. PAU plans strategic research project
|
|
Teaching Punjabi online A language can flourish if it keeps pace with time and technology. Punjabi University, Patiala, was set up to further the cause of Punjabi language, literature and culture. Working for its objective, the university not only promotes the language through literature and allied activities, but it is also exploring the technological front. As any other language, Punjabi can benefit immensely from the technological tools, which can take it to people far and wide. The university wanted to use the latest information and communication technology to spread the usage of Punjabi. With this objective in mind, the Advanced Centre for Technical Development of Punjabi Language, Literature and Culture was established in Punjabi University on February 21, 2004. One of the main aims of the centre was to develop a comprehensive website for online teaching of Punjabi. The centre worked with zealous mission under the guidance of its Director, Dr Gurpreet Singh Lehal, and achieved its target as a website for online teaching of Punjabi was unveiled late last month. The website has been developed to meet the long standing demand of Punjabis settled abroad and will be a big boon for the younger generation, who can enjoy learning the language at home. The website teaches Punjabi in an interactive and interesting manner and includes lessons on alphabets, orthography, pronunciation, word building, numbers, besides other things, according to Dr Lehal. The work for the development of the website started from the first day of the establishment of the centre. With Dr Gurpreet Singh Lehal as Director, a systems analyst, Yoginder Sharma, was specially appointed in the centre to work for the technical development of the website. To take care of the language part, Jaspal Singh and Dr S.S. Joshi were engaged. Later postgraduate students of the Master of Computer Applications and Master of Technology courses underwent the training at the centre and worked on different modules of the website. As many as 10 students also contributed to the development of the website. The combined and sustained effort of two years led to the development of a comprehensive website for Punjabi learning. According to Dr Lehal, this is one of the most interactive and attractive website developed for teaching of any Indian language. The website also includes a pictorial vocabulary of more than 2,000 words along with their pronunciation that are organised into 73 related topics such as animals, birds, colours, fruits and the days of the week. The website, which has been developed using the latest multimedia tools, also includes games, tongue twisters and folk tales to peak and sustain user interest. Stories that make learning easy and interesting are nicely presented along with the text in Gurmukhi script and a corresponding English translation. Games like crossword puzzles, hanging man, recognising a word from its pronunciation, arranging letters in correct sequence are part of this Punjabi learning website. It would help a user’s understanding of the dialogue, textual material and make learning Punjabi fun. It is a comprehensive Punjabi language learning audio and visual delight. The website can go a long way to popularise, spread and invoking the interest of the younger generation in the language. With the development of this website, Punjabi University has once again reiterated its commitment to the development of Punjabi language and culture. The website is: www.advancedcentrepunjabi.org.
|
| HOME PAGE |
PAU plans strategic research project Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) has submitted a Rs 20-crore multi-disciplinary research project to the state government for scientist industry-farmer linkages aimed at national food security, state farmers nutritional and economic security and environmental conservation. The project has been approved in principal by the state planning board. The PAU VC, Dr Kirpal Singh Aulakh, has also written to the Chief Minister, Capt. Amarinder Singh, who holds the portfolio of Agriculture, to personally intervene for the release of the project money at the earliest. The five-year project profile has 10-key research components with an outlay of Rs 6.62 crore. These projects relate to developing ethanol-producing sugarcane and maize varieties, pilot plant for bio-diesel production, research on aromatic, medicinal and spices, pilot facilities for fruit and vegetable processing, cultivation of durum wheat for export and pasta making, development of health foods and drinks, research on fruits and vegetables for processing and rearing of buffaloes for meat processing. Elaborating on the project, Director of Research, Dr B .S. Dhillon said, “There are 60-odd strategic research projects for which PAU has sought the state’s financial intervention. These projects relate to improving hybrids and varieties of pulses and oilseeds, resource conservation and eco-friendly farming, developing high value crops and fine-tuning agro-technologies and introducing BT transgenics in cotton, rice, sugarcane, tomato and brinjal to make them stress-resistant to pest, diseases and even weather. The VC has built the project profile on the hypothesis that the paucity of finance should not hamper research now when major private sector players were negotiating with PAU for triangular collaboration, involving scientist-industry-farmer, who would gain from the cascading economic benefits that would accrue from such synchronised working.
|
|
CAMPUS NOTES Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar Studying human rights A three-week refresher course in Human Rights commenced in the academic staff college of Guru Nanak Dev University here. Dr Gurnam Singh, Dean Academic Affairs, who inaugurated the course, said the champions of human rights were its worst violators today. He said the history of the world replete with gross violations of human rights. A threat to environment, he said, was a threat to survive. 100 scholarships offered The Madanjit Singh Foundation has offered 100 scholarships of Rs 4500 each to the postgraduate and vocational courses students under the Distance Education Programme of GNDU. These scholarships, which had been initiated by UNESCO keeping in view the commendable services of its Goodwill Ambassador, Mr Madanjit Singh, will provide financial assistance to poor students to continue their studies. Punjabi University, Patiala Applying maths in IT Dr R. K. Bawa, Department of Computer Science, delivered a lecture at the International Conference on Mathematics and its Applications in Information Technology held at Lahore University of Management Science (LUMS), Lahore, Pakistan, from November 27 to 30. The topic of his talk was ‘Sequential and Parallel Computational Techniques for Solving Singularly Perturbed Boundary Value Problems’. He was also invited to present his two research papers in the area of ‘Parallel Computing’ at an international conference on ‘Innovative Applications of Information Technology for Developing World’ at Kathmandu, Nepal, from December 10 to 12. — Contributed by Pawan Kumar and Rubinder Gill
|
|
|
ADMISSION DEADLINE Agriculture Veterinary Council of India, “A” Wing, 2nd Floor, August Kranti Bhawan, Bhikaji Cama Place, New Delhi 110066. Armed Forces Indian Navy, Po Bag No. 04, R K Puram P.O. (Main), New Delhi 110066 Indian Navy, PO Box No. 04, R K Puram PO (Main), New Delhi 110066 Engineering CBSE, Shiksha Sadan, 17, Rouse Avenue, Institutional Area, Near Bal Bhawan, New Delhi 110002 Indo-German Tool Room, Aurangabad, P-31, MIDC Industrial Area,
Chikalthana, Aurangabad, 431210 (Mah) IT Centre for Development of Advance Computing
(C-DAC), Delta Chambers, Ameerpet, Hyderabad-500016 (AP) Management Indian Institute of Materials Management, NHQ Education Wing, Plot No 102 & 104, Sector-15, Institutional Area, CBD
Belapur, Navi Mumbai 400614 (Mah) Indian Institute of Forest Management, PO Box No. 357, Nehru Nagar, Bhopal-462003, (MP) Maths & Stats National Board for Higher Mathematics, Department of Atomic Energy, Anushakti Bhavan, CSM Marg, Mumbai 400001
(Mah) Medicine Centre for Occupational & Environmental Health
(COEH), Inderprastha Vyavsayik Evam Paryavarneeya Swasthya Samiti (IVPSS), Maulana Azad Medical College, BL Taneja Block, New Delhi 110002 All India Institute of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, Haji Ali Park, K.Khadye Marg,
Mahalaxmi, Mumbai-400034 (Mah)
|
