EDUCATION

School kids present good show
From Our Correspondent

LALRU, April 3 — Students of Samta Public School here sang and danced with enthusiasm at the annual function of the school held here on Sunday. Local industrialist Mr Pratap Singh Cheema, who was the chief guest, handed out the prizes for the year. Students entertained their parents and teachers with folk songs and dances of Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab and Rajasthan. The highlights of the programme were bhangra and giddha presented by the youngest students.

Dancer Shilpa Bakshi interpreted a popular contemporary number, I love my India, while Manpreet Bhatti's bhangra to the tune of Dil Mera Chori Ho Gaya was in the best of the Punjabi pop style.The Lalru SMO, Mr Daler Singh Multani, appreciated the students' talent and urged teachers and parents to inculcate moral values and academic knowledge.

He also presented the school's three best students with cash prizes of Rs 500, Rs 300 and Rs 200.The School Principal, Ms Neelam Bakshi, read out the annual report. Besides a large number of parents, Mr S.S. Bhatti, Managing Director of the school, was also present on the occasion. Mr Cheema donated Rs 11,000 to the school and said private schools had "revolutionised" education in post-Independence India. The Chairman of the school, Mr Jasmer Singh, donated Rs 2,100.

COURTS

Bus driver gets 6-month RI
Tribune News Service

PANCHKULA, April 3 — The Panchkula Chief Judicial Magistrate, Mr Ved Pal Gupta, today, sentenced a bus driver, Raj Singh, to six-month rigorous imprisonment for rash and negligent driving.

The convict, Raj Singh of Kaleri village, was earlier booked by the local police for causing hurt and endangering human life by driving rashly and negligently under Sections 279, 337 and 338 of the Indian Penal Code on the complaint of a Pinjore businessman, Krishan Lal.In his complaint to the police, he had alleged that two persons had sustained injuries after the accused had rammed the bus into the van they were travelling in.

Accusing Raj Singh of driving "at a high speed", he had also said the accident had taken place after the accused had shifted to the wrong side of the road. Arguing before the CJM, the public prosecutor had stated that the accused, on seeing the injured, had fled from the spot, leaving the bus there.

The accused had, however, denied the allegations. Claiming to be innocent, he had asked for a trial. His counsel had stated that the accused had been implicated in the case.After hearing the arguments, the CJM said, "It is held that the prosecution has successfully proved its case beyond all reasonable doubts.

The accused is, therefore, convicted under Sections 279, 337 and 338 of the IPC."Declining the defence counsel's plea for taking a lenient view, the CJM said, "Since two persons have suffered simple and grievous injuries by rash and negligent driving of the accused, therefore, in the considered opinion of this court, the accused would not be entitled to the benefit of probation,"

Bail plea dismissed
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, April 3 — The bail application moved by Sub-Divisional Officer Om Parkash and Sectional Officer Shiv Kumar, accused of causing “heavy loss to the government exchequer”, were today “dismissed as withdrawn” by Mr Justice Amar Dutt of the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

The two were earlier booked by the Chandigarh police for cheating, forgery, using as genuine a forged document and criminal conspiracy under Sections 420, 467, 468, 471 and 120-B of the Indian Penal Code.According to the prosecution, a contractor along with another accused, in connivance with officials of Electricity Division — II, including Shiv Singh and Om Parkash, had “caused a huge loss of Rs 8,80,000 to the government exchequer by preparing a forged document”.

The prosecution had stated that the contractor, with mala fide intentions, had tampered with a document pertaining to the purchase of an alternator, pads and frame.The contractor got the payment of Rs 12,50,000 after adding the figure ‘1’ before Rs 2,50,000. Today, in an application before Mr Justice Amar Dutt, it was stated that the applicant may be allowed to withdraw the petition seeking regular bail “in order to approach the Sessions Court”.

Rape accused denied bail
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, April 3 — The UT Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate, Mr H.S. Madaan, today refused to grant bail to a city resident, Jasbir Singh, who was facing charges of having raped a Sector 22 resident.

He was remanded in judicial custody till April 17 on grounds that the said offence could only be tried by the Sessions Court and hence, the court of Additional CJM did not have the power to grant bail in the same. He had been arrested under Section 376 of the IPC on March 30 and was sent to police custody by the court.The victim had earlier lodged a complaint, on the basis of which the police arrested Jasbir Singh.

CULTURE

Joint effort by city artists

CHANDIGARH: Lalit Kala Academy and the Government Museum and Art Gallery have jointly organised an exhibition of artists of City Beautiful. It was inaugurated by the Punjab Governor, Lieut-Gen J.F.R. Jacob on March 31. It will remain open till April 10.

The artists whose works have been displayed include Prem Singh, Vinay Vadhera, Shiv Singh, Bhim Malhotra, S.S. Bhatti and Brahm Prakash.Huge-size canvases on which two or three artists have put in their joint efforts form an interesting aspect of this exhibition. However, some viewers felt that such combined efforts lack cohesion since every artist has his or her own viewpoint. Some artists, like Vinay Vadhera, have chosen to stick to the small canvas only, trying to interpret different facets of a man’s personality in a single colour.

— Thakur Paramjit

A feast of photos
By A Correspondent

CHANDIGARHApril 3 — “Nature Morte” has done some good to the art lovers of the city who have long been waiting to treat themselves to a feast of photographs. Though the city has had no dearth of painting exhibitions, photographic marvels have been hard to come by. But thanks to Peter Nagy of the Nature Morte Art gallery of Delhi, the audience had a chance to enjoy the work of 10 artists from all over the globe brought together on one platform. The exhibition titled, ‘Contemporary Voices of India and Abroad’, opened today at the Art Folio with the show getting a good response. The show includes works of Deepti Parikh, Ram Rahman, Vivan Sundaram, Michael Tarr, Chyrsanne Stathacos, Dayanita Singh and Jennifer Bolande.

The works of Ram Rahman are quite appreciable for his images which define Indian architectural spaces as political arenas, in which religions and their factions often fight to a bloody end. His works sit in the documentary genre. His partially scratched images of blurred body parts and sharply focused buildings attempt to redefine architectural photography.The photographs by Vivan Sundaram display objects for sale and views of second hand goods laid out on the ground. The show hands out a sets up a formal correspondence in the gallery to display of goods in the bazaar. Chrysanne Stathcos portrays sensuous images and pastes photographs taken from the 19th century on rose petals.

The effect looks amazing to the eye. Michael has picturised rural areas of Assam and life of the people in the interiors. Dayanita Singh has captured portraits of upper urban class.Family photos reflect refinement of the photographer’s vision. The photographs take you to the times of Rai Bahadurs with her depiction of the royal families and their elaborate ceremonies.The exhibition was inaugurated today by Mrs. Anuradha Gupta, Managing Director, Sugarfed.

Colours of nature captured
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, April 3 — “God created man in His own image and man shaped life in his own way.”

The saying becomes true as one glances through Ashwani Verma’s creations on display in IndusInd Art Gallery. The painter revels in a web of his own images of nature. And in some queer fashion, he strikes an affinity with the viewer. For, after all, nature is the universal mother.

A bare canvas, a stroke of the brush and an amazing image — that’s what meets the eye. Green fields and verdant grass, mountains and waterfalls. The artist has re-created creation. From calm plains to confused landscapes, the assortment has the power to touch the soul and the impact is more than momentary.

Verma’s thoughts wander in the hills, meander through the valleys, and seek respite in the verdant fields of a remote village on the calm plains. Nostalgia is predominant in each work of art which ranges from a series of paintings on Manikaran done with reverence, as is clear from the way he carves out architectural details. The beauty of the mountains is captured deftly and each of the 19 paintings speak for the artist’s urge to return home after toiling through the day.

The painter is seemingly in love with water, with painting showing waterfalls.

Verma is an arts teacher at Kendriya Vidyalaya, Hoshiarpur. He won awards from the Indian Academy of Fine Arts, Amritsar, and the Punjab Lalit Kala Academy, Chandigarh Award in 1988, among others.