The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Chandigarh Stories

EDUCATION

Love messages sent on ‘Flower’s Day’
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Feb 10 — Despite a cloudy day, Students Centre of Panjab University witnessed a sizeable crowd on occasion of a ‘Flower’s Day’ fete organised by the Students Organisation of Panjab University here today.

There were nearly 600 messages for the loved ones, varying from a direct romantic approach to feelings of longing and eulogising personality traits.

A blood donation camp was another highlight of the show.

However, certain students expressed reservations on the way Basant Panchmi festival today was celebrated on the campus. The occasion needed a more “Indian way” of doing thing, they felt.

Mr Prabhat Kinra was voted as Mister Flower on the occasion while Pritpal Kaur was chosen as Miss Flower. Sarvpreet from the Mathematics Department was crowned in a related category.

Gagan and Pooja (Mathematics) were picked out from the lot for best messages.

Non-teaching staff hold rally
From Our Correspondent

SAS NAGAR, Feb 10 — A rally was organised by the Punjab School Education Board (Non-Teaching) Employees Association on the board premises in Phase VIII here today in support of its demands.

Leaders at the rally, held on the third successive day, said the union had demanded that the government should appoint the Controller of Examinations from among the board staff members itself. They claimed the DPI (Schools) sent on deputation to perform the duties of the Controller was not well-acquainted with the board functioning and the work was “suffering”.

The union general secretary said every year about 50,000 additional examination forms were received for various classes but the staff strength to tackle the work remained the same. More than seven lakh students appeared for various examinations.

He said management had appointed 300 persons on a contract basis against various posts. About 200 posts still lying vacant should be filled at the earliest. Besides, new posts should be created according to the load of additional examination forms. This, he said, was necessary so that examinees were not adversely affected.

COURTS

Fasting lawyer hospitalised
Tribune News Service

PANCHKULA, Feb 10 — Even as the strike by members of the District Bar Council entered its fourth day here today, Mr Satish Kadian who has been on fast since the beginning of the strike was shifted to General Hospital, Sector 6, following a deterioration in his condition in the evening. He was reported to have low blood pressure and had lost weight, according to a medical examination conducted earlier.

Four other lawyers — Ms Tarunpreet Kaur, Ms Kanchan Bala, Mr Deepak Kapoor and Mr Anirudh Kush — began a 48-hour fast and Mr Amit Singla, Mr R. S. Badhran and Mr Umesh Mahaur got up after completing 60 hours of fast.

The lawyers are demanding the opening of the court of the Additional District and Sessions Judge in the township.

CULTURE

I have been offered lead roles in films: Mann
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Feb 10 — Harbhajan Mann, an exponent of Punjabi pop of “Oye-Hoye” fame, has been offered lead roles in a couple of films following the success of “Husn Jawaani Malomaal”, his debutant song in “Papa Di Great”.

Talking to newsmen here this afternoon, Harbhajan refused to divulge any further details on the offers but maintained that he would not do any “playback singing” but would prefer that songs be included in films filmed on him.

In “Husn Jawani Malomaal”, he stars with Mayuri Kango. The team behind the scene remains the same with direction by Bobby Khan; choreography by Ahmad Khan, lyrics by Babu Singh Mann and music by Jaidev Kumar.

Harbhajan, who moved from Canada back to his motherland, said that before Husn Jawani Malomaal was shot, he had two offers. The second one was for “Badal”.

He said that after the successful launch of his “Oye-Hoye”, he had fixed a target for himself to do a song for Bollywood within six months to a year. “I have done that and after this song in “Papa Di Great”, “I have been even offered lead role in a couple of films.”

Asked about his next album, Harbhajan says that he was not keen to rush into a new album. Oye-Hoye was still doing well. Normally, he said, he takes a year to 18 months to do his album. The expectations of people were high.

Among his future plans, he said he would feature in a song in “Farz” film soon.

Harbhajan could not go to Faisalabad in Pakistan to participate in a special programme which was scheduled for February 9. “I could not get the visa,” he said.

To keep his contacts with the Punjabi folk and Punjabi audience, says Harbhajan Mann, he continues to participate in all major melas, including Prof Mohan Singh Mela, and would be participating in a similar function at SAS Nagar soon.

Babu Singh Mann decried those who were spreading rumours about him and his songs.

Trees planted to mark Basant
From A Correspondent

CHANDIGARH, Feb 10 — To mark Basant Panchami, a Spring Tree Plantation Campaign was organised in the premises of the Government Museum and Art Gallery, by the Environment Society of India and the State Bank of India, Sector 12, Chandigarh, here today.

The function was inaugurated by Mrs Kamla Sharma, Chairperson, Chandigarh Social Welfare Advisory Board. She also planted a sapling. Others present on the occasion were, Mr K. K.Adiwal, ex-Mayor, Mr Raghubir Arora, Mr Kanhayalal (municipal corporation) and Mr S. K. Sharma, President, ESI.

About 50 saplings of kadamba, sita-ashoka and harsingar were planted. A team of the Song and Drama Division, Government of India, organised Basant folk songs and a magic show. A kite exhibition put up by CAPE was inaugurated by Mr V. N. Singh, Director, Government Museum.

The cultural show included a kite-flying contest and a fancy dress competition. With rain playing the spoilsport, the participation was thin.

The results of various competitions are:

Fancy dress (below 10 years) — Princy (special), Ghazalpreet (1); (above 10 years) —Manpreet Kaur (special), Rupinder, Sukhjinder Kaur (1).

Dance — Manpreet Kaur, Princy (special), Ghazalpreet Kaur (1).

Kite flying (juniors) — Amarjit (1), Saurab (2), Naresh (3), Special Prize — Govt High School, Sector 40; (seniors) — Patang kite: Mr Shri Kishan, International Kite Club, Delhi, Tukal kite: Mr Jaswant Singh, Qila Kite Club, Amritsar, Yadvinder Singh (special).

Mr S. K. Sharma urged the government to make Basant Panchami a national festival.

PANCHKULA: Fun and frolic marked the Basant Panchmi celebrations at Blue Bird High School in Sector 16 here today.

According to a press note, while 287 students took part in kite-flying and kite-making events, 237 posters, depicting the importance of the festival, were made. The kites could be seen flying high and students enjoyed the experience.

The posters were placed at prominent places on the school campus and students from Classes V to VIII took part in various competitions.

The following are the results of these competitions: Kite-making contest — Vineet and Shivani (first); Vijay and Khusveen (second); and Upendra, Nanu and Nikhil (third).

Kite-flying contest — Ishu and Nitin (first); Rahul and Puneet (second); and Nitin Minocha and Vibhati (third).

Poster-making contest — Samriti and Rohit (first); Anchal and Raman (second); and Ruchi, Divya and Simran (third)..

Jat Sabha celebrates Basant
From A Correspondent

CHANDIGARH, Feb 10 — Basant Panchmi festival was celebrated by Jat Sabha alongwith the 119th birth anniversary of Deen Bandhu Sir Chhotu Ram at Jat Bhawan, here today.

Mr. M.S. Malik, (IPS), President of the Jat Sabha, while presiding over the function stressed upon the philosophy and ideals of Sir Chhotu Ram and their greater relevance in the present times. He urged the audience to follow the principles laid down by Deen Bandhu.

The main attraction of the function was an entertaining cultural programme presented by the Haryanavi folk singers and artistes. Ms Rajneesh Kaur sung her own song “le ke Janam Dubare aja, hum chahvain Chhotu Ram Tane.’ Mahavir Guddu presented a mimicry and a song “bum bum bum lehri.” Haryanvi Ragni singer Bali Ram Sharma also sung a number of songs.

A Chitra Sangrahlya, containing photographs of Jat heroes and distinguished Jat personalities in the field of science, education, sports and arts, was also inaugurated on the occasion. The monthly newsletter “Jat Sandesh”, a Souvenir and a book titled “1857 Ki Jan Kranti Aur Ballabgarh Ke Raja Nahar Singh” written by Mrs Rajwanti Mann, were also released on the occasion.

Padam Shree and Bhima awardee Captain Lila Ram, who was the first Indian wrestler to win a gold medal at the Commonwealth Games held in U.K. in 1958, was specially honoured by the chief guest. Cash awards were given to the meritorious students and outstanding sportsmen and athletes of the Jat community who have achieved distinctions in their respective fields at state, national and international levels during the previous year. Mr. R.K. Malik, Secretary, Jat Sabha, read out the annual report of the Sabha.

Comedy of Terrors impresses
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Feb 10 —A praiseworthy performance of a Hindi adaptation of the play of an Italian Nobel Prize winner Comedy of Terrors was the highlight of a show organised by the Yavnika theatre group here today.

The play has been adaptation by Ranjit Kapoor with the later additions by Piyush Mishra. The script has been aptly directed by Sunil Chitkara, a former student of the Panjab University Indian Theatre Department.

Farcical treatment of the text and adding comic elements to each character with a distinct habit of speaking, only brightened the show. Using terrorism as a weapon for conveying strong views on the subject, while sustaining interest in the comedy, deserves praise for the original writer, Dario Fo.

A trade union leader, one day, picks up a body of a car accident victim and covers it with his coat. The following day, he discovers that newspapers claim the body to be his.

Shailgram, the worker, goes into anonymity, fearing the police action. His partner, Savitri Sharma, wants to use the situation to her benefit. The domestic life gets confused, the police remains baffled as the accident victim’s identity is developed on the basis of the information of Shaligrams accident. The portrayal of the dual character sustains the interest in the play. Certain viewers said a little lesser exploitation of the noise-base through words and giving a different identity to the voice of the doctor rather than copying a popular television serial, could have helped the play.

The set was designed by Sewak Nayyar. Sunil Chitkara as Shaligram, Anurag Sharma as the inspector, Raj Sharma as the wife , Anup Sharma as the magistrate, Rajesh Rathore as a constable ,Gorky as a doctor and Rishobh Nayyar were the key performers.