The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Chandigarh Stories

EDUCATION

Kids steal hearts at annual day function
From A Correspondent

CHANDIGARH, May 7 — The annual day of the three branches of Air Force Regional School was celebrated at LECMA, 3 BRD, here today.

Disguised as elephants, peacocks, monkeys, rabbits and fairies, tiny-tots danced, with other kids dressed up as trees. The lamp was lighted by the chief guest, Air Cmdr S.K. Banerjee. This was followed by the reading out of the annual report of the three schools.

The prizes were awarded to achievers by Ms Rina Banerjee, President of the AFWWA (L). While Sahil was adjudged best student, Vikas was declared best sportsperson and Tagore House was the Best House.

The cultural show started with Saraswati Vandana. The children, dressed up as animals, performed a colourful dance. This was followed by a foot-tapping number — We like to party. The students enthralled the audience with Bengali, Rajasthani and Punjabi dances. This was followed by an English and a Hindi play.

The show was well organised but for the jarring sound. The programme was punctuated with thunderous applause. The show ended with a vote of thanks by the Principal, Ms R. Jain.

Motorists' response disappoints kids playing cop
Tribune News Service

PANCHKULA, May 7 — Though it was a great learning experience for the twenty girl students of Chaman Lal DAV School, Sector 11, who participated in the drive to educate the public about traffic rules here today, they were disappointed with the response of the motorists and admitted that being in the shoes of the police was a tough job.

These students were posted at two points, in Sector 5 and Sector 11, along with police personnel, during the two-hour drive in which motorists' documents were checked thoroughly. The Principal, Mr V.P. Paul, said the students of Classes X and XII had been involved in the project and the boys been left out. "I wanted this to be an all-girls' affair since boys are involved in most projects. They can afford to wait till next time," he said.

Narrating her experience, Meghna Jamwal of Class XII said, "It was an enjoyable and a unique experience. The necessity of observing the rules of the road have become a part of me." She added that though the public was cooperative, some saw it as a waste of time. "They did not take kindly to being asked for documents and scoffed at the idea of involving the children in such projects. The enthusiasm failed to die down," she contended.

A Class X student, Neha Sharma, was all praise for the effort of the local police to involve schoolchildren. "We have learnt how tough life is for a policeman. Even checking papers of vehicles was an arduous task, with some persons turning nasty," she said.

Lamenting the rudeness to them, she said persons chose to ignore anything the students told them. The participating children said more such interactions should take place.

800 students given books and stationery
Tribune News Service

PANCHKULA, May 7 — Over 800 students of 27 government schools in the district were given books and stationery at a function at Government Senior Secondary School, Sector 7, under Sahyog, an annual project of Bharat Vikas Parishad, here today.

Mr R.S. Chaudhary, Deputy Chairman of the Planning Board, said the organisation had imbibed the teachings of Swami Vivekananda and was working for the uplift of the poor. He lamented that the youth were blindly following Western culture and appealed to them to launch a mass movement to uplift society on the lines of the independence struggle.

He highlighted the role played by social welfare organisations in helping the government implement its programme for the spread of education and health services. He announced financial aid of Rs 51,000 for the construction of the organisation's bhavan.

The Deputy Commissioner, Mr S.K. Monga, was also present. He said there was need to lay emphasis on education. He appealed to the organisation to help the Administration with its literacy programme.

The patron of the organisation, Mr C.B. Goel, presided over the function. He said the parishad had managed financial help for nearly 1,200 needy children and gave Rs 5,100 to the parishad.

Institute of creative learning inaugurated
From A Correspondent

CHANDIGARH, May 7 — Ed Venture, an institute of creative learning for young minds through multimedia, was inaugurated by two school-going kids here today. Ed Venture offers computer courses for children from 3 to 16 years to help them in their studies, said Manmeet Singh, CEO of the company.

The courses have been designed to help children learn various subjects through interactive multimedia programmes. An interesting creative regime in theatrical arts, stage craft, voice culture, painting, music for the little kids has been worked out. The vocabulary, language, mathematical skills, general knowledge, science and many other subjects will be taught through the different courses.

Ed Venture has programmes for all the segments, including children, housewives and working executives. The computer classes will be run in the “Space Centre” while creative activities are the focus of “Planet Earth” areas at the centre. There are Big Byte programmes offered for the parents of the Ed Venture voyagers also.

SPORT

Sinha becomes sport hero in one hit
By Our Sports Reporter

CHANDIGARH, May 7 — In the Budget for the year 2000-2001, the Finance Minister of India, Mr Yashwant Sinha, had decided to provide 100 per cent income tax exemption to the Indian Olympic Association. Some representatives of various national and state sport federations had sought the extension of these benefits to these bodies as well. Now, in the Finance Bill presented in the Parliament, Mr Sinha has accepted this demand of the associations.

Mr Ravinder Talwar, President of the Chandigarh Football Association, said the government looked serious in the development of sport in the country. "The Finance Bill says that the concession should be extended to national sport federations as well. Earlier, most of the sponsors used to invest in cricket alone. The decision will bring money to the other sport as well."

Mr Talwar is also Vice-President of the Basketball Federation of India and the Handball Federation of India. He said the government should increase its grants to sport bodies. He said, "It will take a few years for the corporate sector to focus on local sport, because the exemption, initially, will be at the national level only."

Mr Kailash Nath, Secretary of the Chandigarh Rowing Association, said it was a historic decision. He said, previously, when the concessions were announced by Mr Sinha, it was not clear how and when the associations affiliated to the IOA could utilise the advantage. Mr Nath said the associations should find the genuine long-term sponsors. He also appreciated the recent signing of an MoU by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and the IOA. He said selected group of industries would adopt a particular sport to sponsor.

He said for the sport like rowing where India had already qualified for the Sydney Olympics, the corporate sector should give more money in the light of these concessions. He said, now, the national, state and district associations would have to monitor each other's activities.

Mr Rajeev Kaushal, Secretary of the Chandigarh Table Tennis Association, said the announcement had delighted him a lot. He said parents would encourage their children to take up sport now. The associations should seek long-term sponsors. Indian Airlines and petroleum companies had sponsored table tennis players for years. The CTTA, past year, had successfully organised the Junior National Championship with Stroh's and Spice as the main sponsors. Mr Kaushal, however, said the associations should market their sport aggressively now.

Mr K.S. Bharti, Secretary of the Chandigarh Basketball Association, said the concessions would reach sportsmen only when the associations would further delegate responsibilities to their units. He said earlier attempts to attract sponsors had not been successful enough.

Mr Bharti said like the sponsors of the NBA league and the PGA tour, the others also needed to be assured of the returns on their investment. He said the government should also ask Doordarshan Sports to devote equal time to all sport.

Gurpreet wins Mr Panchkula title
Tribune News Service

PANCHKULA, May 7 — The sixth Capt Sunil Khokhar Memorial Body Building Championship organised by the Panchkula Amateur Body Building Association was held at a local health club here today. The championship is held in the memory of Capt Khokhar who was awarded posthumously for sacrificing his life in the Kargil war.

The winners in different categories are as follows: Below 55 kg — Mohammed Sajid 1, Mohammed Hazrat Ali 2, Satish Sharma 3; below 66 kg — Parveen 1, Munish 2, Mohammed Naushad 3; below 65 kg — Gurpreet Singh 1, Amit Kumar 2, Shiv Kumar 3; below 70 kg — Anurag 1, Arvind Thakur 2, Sunil Dway 3; above 70 kg — Prem 1, Shashi 2, Deepak Bhandhari 3.

Overall Mr Panchkula — Gurpreet Singh; and best poser — Anurag Pandey.

Aman, Yadvinder help club win
By Our Sports Reporter

CHANDIGARH, May 7 — Superb batting by Aman Kumar (47) and Yadvinder (30 n.o.) helped Industrial Cricket Club beat Mohali Cricket Club by six wickets in the second Samsung Cash Prize Tournament here today. The tournament is being held in the memory of Samuel Banerjee by the Chandigarh Cricket Association (affiliated to the HCA).

In another match, Daljeet Singh, with his unbeaten 56 runs and three wickets for 22 runs, helped United XI beat Krishna XI by four wickets. In the last match of the day, JAL XI beat Ranger XI by 24 runs.

CULTURE

Gursewak promises not to sing trash
By Aditi Tandon
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, May 7 — When T-Series signed him up for its album Lara Lappa, the stakes were high and obviously so...for the amount of repute and buck involved. The risk factor, however, died down very fast and it was the popularity of the title song which took the front row. Gursewak Mann, the singer in question, was now more than just the younger brother of the already storming artiste Harbhajan Mann and the sales proceeds of his album spoke for what he was going to be... popular and admirable.

Within a week of the release of his album...Gursewak was already taking the world of Punjabi pop by storm and he was ascending the countdown shows on every music channel, with his ‘Ik kudi lara lappa laye rakhdi’ doing the trick. The Canada-returned commercial pilot soon had another reason to soar and soar high enough.

“I am yet to believe that success could happen so fast. When I used to do shows in Canada and some other countries, I could never imagine that one could court fame so soon in life. Actually it’s just a matter of having one’s stars settled favourably. Earlier I never thought of breaking the routine, but now that I have, I am enjoying every bit of it. I am now a trained pilot and a professional singer and I am very happy with the blend,” Mann told The Tribune when he was in town today to perform in the city discotheque Aerrizona where he sang to a huge fan following and had the gathering dancing to the end. In fact, Gursewak came to Chandigarh on the invitation of Aerrizona’s owner, Mr Surinder Singh.

Gursewak’s singing career began probably when elder brother Harbhajan came to India and succeeded with his maiden number “Gallan goriyan te vich toye”. Harbhajan’s pace on the path to success surely sent some positive signals to Gursewak who always wanted to get back to India and stay close to the moorings.

“There could not have been a better opportunity than this one. I believe my immediate future was already planned. So the moment I came to India I had a big company to offer the platform; I found a wonderful music director in Jaidev; and, of course, a brilliant lyricist in the form of Babu Singh Mann. I did not have to struggle much.”

Gursewak is also highly indebted to his father who insisted that he should perfect his is skill at rhythm. Ask him from where he got the talent and an instant answer is: “It runs in the genes. So it comes naturally. Talent notwithstanding, being compared to Harbhajan did send a number of jitters down my spine,” he said.

But the fear was allayed soon enough with Gursewak giving an instant hit. The interesting part in Gursewak’s profile is that unlike many fresher, he is close to his classical base. He has already sung Heer Ranjha and Mirza. Also he feels very strongly about what he chooses. “I don’t want to fade away after a hit or two. And to sustain the image as a good artiste, it is important to be finicky about what you choose. No matter what, I am sure about one thing...I’ll not sing trash. I’ll sing only quality. Though taking decisions becomes a bit difficult sometimes, a Libran that I am.”

But what makes Mann so touchy about quality? His affinity with heritage. Says he: “I still remember how we used to go Gurdwaras in Canada and sing the glory of Gurus. I wish those days could come back. Maybe some day they will. As we have changed with the times, may be some day times will change for us.”

Why not, after all...every action has an equal and opposite reaction!

He is not a music director next door. With the guidance of Laxmikant Pyarelal to his credit and the stamp of HMV with which he worked for a good about seven years, Jaidev is in great demand these days. One identifies him with Jassi’s Kudi Gujarat di and Kudi shaher di kudi, Harbhajan Mann’s Oye hoye and Gursewak Mann’s Lara Lappa. He is now going to record Shubha Mudgal with Archies.

Scholars rate Hundal’s work as social document
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, May 7 — The Punjab Arts Council, Sector 16, today witnessed some meaningful discussion on the role of communalism in the coming times and also on the deteriorating culture of work in various spheres of the society.

On the centrestage was the veteran Punjabi poet, Harbhajan Hundal, who has to his credit 25 novels and 13 poetry compositions. His work Chiraag has become so popular that three editions had to be published in one year. Hundal especially came down from Kapurthala to attend the monthly meet organised by Sahit Chintan, Chandigarh. The programme was presided over by Dr Kesar Singh Kesar, senior professor, Punjabi Department, PU.

An interesting deliberation was held on Hundal’s autobiography Kiven Guzari Zindagi which is indeed a social document for its enlistment of every important event which occurred through the times. The book gives a detail of the partition times and also about the price which India, as a nation, had to pay during the Emergency. There is also an account of the Operation Blue Star and the wave of militancy which struck Punjab and left it emaciated.

After discussing the novel, the gathered scholars said that Hundal had succeeded in making the novel a social document rather than a work which is self-centred.

A paper was also read on the occasion by Dr Sukhdev Singh, professor, PU. Speaking on the function, Mr Hundal stressed the need to revive interest of the younger generation in the mother tongue, Punjabi and warned that if the same was not done, no one could save the language from doom. He also said that Marxism would never get old or outdated. In some way or the other it would always remain relevant to the times.

Chinese Film Festival begins today
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, May 7 — The next five days will transport cinema lovers into an entirely different world where the ethos is quite different to the one followed in the Indian theatre. The countdown begins as Panjab University Teachers Association brings the Chinese Film Festival to town in collaboration with the Embassy of People’s Republic of China.

Among the movies chosen to be screened are certain classics, including The Black Eyes, The Winner, Peking Duck Restaurant (to be shown at Evening College Auditorium, PU) , A Mongolian Tale and True Colour of a Hero.

The festival, which is an initiative of the Chandigarh Film Society, will begin with the screening of The Black Eyes, a sensitive portrayal of the struggles and accomplishments of a blind girl named Ding Lihua who is handicapped but is full of zeal for life.

Directed by Chen Guoxing, this 90-minute film explores the psyche of Dingh who cherishes dreams about love and life. Her life takes a turn when at the sports school for the handicapped she gets a chance to be professionally trained as an athlete. She makes herself positive and works on her temperament till she finally becomes confident of what she can do. She understands that life is more about just falling in love. Under the guidance of her coach she hones her skills and also learns the truths of life. The end of the movies sees Ding coming home with a gold medal.

The Winner, the other movie to be screened tomorrow, deals with the emotions of love and victory. It revolves around Chang Ping, a disabled athlete who falls in love with another athlete Xiaoyang. The story is set in the backdrop of sport, the Friendship Games, for which Chang is especially trained. It is during these games that Chang meets his love and finds that he feels secure in her company. Another happy ending, with the two sports persons becoming one.

The film is of 81 minutes duration and has been directed by Huo Jianqi.

As informed by Tapesh Sharma, Secretary, Chandigarh Film Society, “The festival aims at spreading cultural harmony through the medium of art.” The festival will be attended by Mr Jiang Weining, Councillor, Embassy of the People’s Republic of China, and it will be inaugurated by President, Punjab High Court Bar Association, Mr G.K. Chatrath.

Two short films, Chinese Aerobatics and The Most Water Conservatory Project in China will also be shown at the festival. Importantly, children will not be allowed during display of the films.