EDUCATION

PAU to use IT in its programmes
From Our Correspondent

LUDHIANA, Aug 14 — Punjab Agricultural University has decided to make use of Information Technology in its programmes of teaching and training. In order to achieve this objective, Information Technology Club has been constituted, with Dr H.S. Sekhon, Dean, College of Agricultural Engineering, as its convener, and 30 members.

The members are represented by senior faculty members from all constituent colleges and the university library. This initiative has been taken under the EU-India Cross Cultural Innovation Network Project. According to Dr Ranjit Singh, coordinator of the project, a one-week intensive training was provided to the members in March by experts from the European Union.

It has also been decided that each member will select one topic to prepare multi-media modules for use in teaching and training programmes. The progress was reviewed in a meeting held recently.

The next training workshop will be held in the third week of November and will be conducted by experts from European Union. The modules prepared by each member will be evaluated during the workshop and final version of the same will be finalised. These modules will be available on demand for other institutions as well.

Schools celebrate Independence Day
From Our Correspondent

LUDHIANA, Aug 14 — To infuse the sense of patriotism in the students, Independence Day celebrations were organised in several schools of the city here.

At Kundan Vidya Mandir, Dr Lajpat Rai, president of the school management committee, hoisted the national flag. The guard of honour was presented by contingents of NCC and physical education girls.

Patriotic song 'De di hamein azadi bina kharag bina dhaal' was presented by nursery and KG students. 'Vande Mataram' was sung by primary and middle sections. The students of the city branch of the school sang a group song 'Yeh Hai Naya Hindustan'. A speech in Punjabi by Puneet Kaur was inspiring.

In his speech, Dr Lajpat Rai said that teachers and parents must inculcate moral character and civic sense in the children so that they become responsible citizens and work for the development of the nation.

The staff of Lovely Lotus Nursery School organised a fancy dress function for the little stars as part of the Independence Day celebrations. Students were told to play the role of national heroes. There were little Gandhiji, Nehru, Subhash Chandra Bose, Bhagat Singh, B R Ambedkar and Indira Gandhi. Kids even raised the slogans of their favourite heroes. Mrs Harpreet Gill, Principal, said: "The function was organised with an aim to inculcate national spirit and to cultivate confidence in the kids."

Independence Day celebrations were also organised at USPC Jain School where the President of the school management committee, Mr T.R. Jain, was the chief guest. He unfurled the national flag.

‘Develop scientific temper in kids’
From Our Correspondent

LUDHIANA, Aug 14 — The president of the Punjab Kisan Club, Mr Amarjit Singh Sidhu, has said that for giving boost to rural development programmes, school children should be motivated. He was addressing a state-level advisory committee meeting organised by the Department of Extension Education, PAU Ludhiana.

Mr Sidhu while expressing satisfaction with the progress of rural development programmes in some districts of the state, urged for the development of scientific temper among school children in order to boost rural development programmes in the state.

Mr Gurdev Singh Momi, head of the Department of Extension Education, said that with the financial support of the Punjab Government, rural development programmes can be implemented in every village of the state. Dr Momi informed that under the rural development programme a quarterly magazine Yuv Rishman is published which aims to develop scientific temper among its readers.

PAU dons hold dharna
From Our Correspondent

LUDHIANA, Aug 14 — The Punjab Agricultural University Teachers Association has resented the delay in implementing demands of college and university teachers in spite of the acceptance by the UGC on July 27, 1998. The executive resolved to intensify its agitation if the respective governments failed to honour the commitment for the implementation of demands.

As a first step of the agitation, executive sat on a dharna today on a call given by the AIFUTA, FEDCUTA, AIFAUTA and PFUTA against callous attitude of the state and Centre governments towards its demands.

The executive expressed its solidarity with all associations with respect to its demands which included the release of remaining part of arrears of revised pay; abolition of dual scales of associate professors/readers; giving two advance increments to MSc/MSc Ag/MVSc and MSc Home Science; release of non-practicing allowances (NPA) to veterinary teachers and implementation of supertime scale to professors having 28 years of service. 

CULTURE

Dance contest for children
From Our Correspondent

LUDHIANA, Aug 14 — The Indian Cultural Entertainment School and Asian Club held a dance competition to celebrate Independence Day for children at Aggar Nagar Community Centre yesterday. The cultural programme was inaugurated by Mr Chander Shekhar, IG, Punjab Police Academy, Phillaur.

The function started with dances on Barbie girl, Phir bhi dil hai hindustani and Sitaron ki mehfil. The competition was divided into three categories. The first category was of children between 4 to 7 years of age. Sarvi, Misha, Damanpreet and Harvaneet danced to Kala sha kala, Maine payal jo chhankai, Mujhe rang de and Sade dil te chhurian chalayian. Divya, Simranpreet, Ankit, Ishmeet and Seema danced to Nimbooda, Jhanjhar, Sitaron ki mehfil, Aayo re maro dholna and Ek pal ka jeena. The participants were between 8 to 12 years of age. This was followed by a group song, Pind phera lagde.

The judges were Ms Paramjit Sandhu, Ms Bhupinder Sidhu and Ms Sarabjit Mangat. The function was presided over by Mr Amrit Lal Aggarwal, Manager, Tagore Public School. Mr Bikramjit Singh Khalsa, MLA, Daakha, gave away the prizes. The life achievement award was given to K Deep Singh, a Punjabi artist and singer. Also present on the occasion were Ms Jaggi Walia, President, Lakshmi Ladies Club, Ms Rosy Chhabra, Director, Indian Cultural Entertainment School, Mr D.J. Jain, Mr Ashok Malik and Mr Ramesh Batra.

Fancy dress contest for tiny tots
From Our Correspondent

LUDHIANA, Aug 14 — While the Western influences in everyday life have become an accepted fact, the patriotic spirit among people also does not appear to have escaped such influences. This was manifested at the Independence Day celebrations organised by a local health centre today.

The programme included fancy-dress competition for tiny tots of various nursery and playways schools. Little angels from different schools like Giggles, Hollyhock, Dizzle-Fun, Alpine and Lovedale participated in the competitions.

The children were dressed to represent various people from different walks of life. Some were dressed like Miss Universe, Miss World, Barbie girl, Shaheed Bhagat Singh, whereas some others were presented as gods like Lord Krishna, Shiva and Meera.

The panel of judges included Mrs Pappo Abnash, a social worker, Mrs Ruby Fernandes and Mrs Sadhna Sharma.

Nishant Kalra, Nikhil Dhand, Rohit Anand, Sehajbir and Vishal were declared best dressed children, whereas Sushant Chadda, Rishab Jain and Ishita Jain were given consolation prizes.