The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Chandigarh Stories

EDUCATION

PU seats fall vacant
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH Aug 22 — Panjab University has asked candidates for some B.Sc courses where seats have become vacant to appear again in examinations, according to a press note issued here today.

Some reserved-category seats in first-year B.Sc (honours) and Bachelor of Pharmacy courses have become vacant. Candidates have been asked to report for the second counselling session on August 24 in the Biochemistry Department.

Four seats in the B.Sc (biochemistry honours) course and five NRI-quota seats in the M.Sc (biochemistry honours) course are vacant. Students have been asked to contact the Biochemistry Department on August 28.

There are two vacant seats in the Bachelor of Pharmacy course in the Panjab University Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences for NRI and industry-sponsored candidates.

Candidates who have passed Class XII examination with physics, chemistry and biology as subjects, besides the Combined Entrance test or SAT-II are eligible for admission. Application forms are to be submitted by August 30 and interviews of candidates will be held on September 4, according to the press note.

PU employees regain ‘lost’ savings
By Sanjeev Singh Bariana
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH Aug 22 — The money of Panjab University employees lost in a saving scheme of the postal services, recently, has found its right ownership following an official inquiry. The employees had saved money out of their salaries under a special savings scheme.

The university was to deposit the funds in the post-office for special accounts. When the employees went to the post-office seeking payment of their savings, they were informed that they were ‘defaulters’. The scheme provides for cuts of fixed amounts from the regular salaries which are deposited in the post-office. Besides interest on the amount, it saved interest on payment of salaries.

At least 20 employees were the direct sufferers. When the university took up the case at the post-office level, it was informed that the funds had not been deposited regularly in these cases making the owners ‘defaulters’.

Following an inquiry it was found that the salary slips showed that deductions were regularly made at the source as the salary slips showed. The problem was shifting of these amounts into respective postal accounts which naturally showed no entry.

Senior sources have confirmed that a procedural carelessness was detected in case of savings of about 20 employees, which led to the problem of non-payment of their sums. Misappropriation of funds, however, has been ruled out,” a member of the committee said. Sources said the official in question had accepted his fault in handling the case and even offered to pay back ‘significant portions’. Sources said committee had by and large absolved the official in question from any act of ‘financial misappropriation”.

The university has arranged for payment to the employees. The paid back sum is also likely to include the interest that the respective sums would have incurred. The concerned official is also likely to pay a part of the compensation amount, sources said.

Mr Dharam Paul, president of the Panjab University Non Teaching Staff Association, however, expressed his reservations over delay in decision making on the case by the university authorities. Prof P.P. Arya, president of the Panjab University Teachers Association, said that positive progress had been made in the case and a formal positive decision had been taken.

Sources maintained that the decision was yet to be formally announced by the university.

COURTS

Anticipatory bail rejected
From Our Correspondent

CHANDIGARH Aug 22 — The anticipatory bail plea filed by two city residents, accused of being involved in a rioting and attempt to murder case, was today rejected by the UT Additional District and Sessions Judge, Mr R.C Godara.

The two -- Sanjeev Gupta and Vijay Rana -- were apprehending arrest in the case registered by the Chandigarh Police under Sections 307, 147, 149 and 325 of the IPC on a complaint by Sector 37 resident Subhash.

In his complaint, he had alleged that the two, along with accomplices, had assaulted him on July 26 following a dispute over money.

Today, pronouncing the orders on the petition, the judge observed that the offense was allegedly committed by the accused and they did not deserve to be released on anticipatory bail.

CULTURE

Brij's creations voice cultural assimilation
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH Aug 22 — After experimenting with mysticism of the East and concreteness of the West in his last exhibition, post-modernist artist from the city Brij is here again with a new collection of works inspired by altered cultural patterns of the city. There are 20 works in all and each one of them is rooted in a typical format which is all about the freedom of strokes. Freedom of thought is the focus, as the artist himself claims: "I have taken care to keep impositions out of these creations. The idea is to let people see and interpret the way they actually want to."

Although a little difficult to relate to, the works seem to be reflecting the artist's perception of the fast changing cultural milieu of Chandigarh which was earlier all about conditioned patterns. "I must say that in all these works there has been a conscious attempt to bring out the aspect of openness the city is now being faced with. By openness I mean that this city is accepting values of the West which are now being brought to the city, courtesy institutions like Alliance Francaise."

The works which have been, in a typical Brij style, vaguely titled, have been created over a span of the past six months. On the face of it, the works look raw in the sense of content, but a deeper analysis reveals that they stem from the Western cultural impact which is now pervading the city. Brij agrees: "The works are inspired by the Western cultural forces which are now reviving in the city. They are all about a psychological transience in terms of philosophical achievement".

Explaining his rather weird titles like, 'Close with her', 'I like the look', 'His own mind', Brij says: "The titles have a philosophical connotation of my thought process. So when I title the works, I mean much beyond what my words convey. That is abstract art in the real sense of the word."

The works, which have employed acrylic on paper, are meant to eulogise intellectual growth which cultural assimilation had brought in the life of youth of the city. Says Brij: "Through the freedom of my strokes, and often used newspaper clippings, I am reacting to the philosophical shift which is fast occurring now that we even have the British Library in town".

Significant is the name Brij gives to his collection — pop art. "Pop because it reflects punk movements and are all inspired by the liberation of ideas, an essentially Western idea. Through my creative urge I am also trying to find out the final culmination of the present generation which has adopted the changes so fast. Also, when I freely use numbers, clippings, images and colours, I want to drive them close to their roots lest they should be led away from them".

Some of Brij's works are a tribute to the information technology revolution, while some to the concepts which help people buy comforts in "easy installments". In many works, Brij has pasted newspaper clippings, one among which reads — buy one get one free.

There is also a feel of American culture in his works which are heavy in space. The exhibition, which went underway at Brij's personal studio in house number 200, Sector 11, will be on till October 20.

Music provides mental peace, says Dilraj Kaur
From Our Correspondent

CHANDIGARH, Aug 22 — ‘’The unexpected happens to you whilst you are busy making other plans’’, says Dilraj Kaur, a Bollywood singer.

She has to her credit a large number of Punjabi folk numbers, besides contributing to Hindi and Punjabi film music. She is of the view that life is simple unless you want to make it complicated. People from all over the world come to our country to experience mental peace, which is what our music also provides, she claims.

She believes that the quality of music has come down. Technical instruments like synthesisers are resulting in soulless music, she adds. She has sung Oriya, Marathi, Punjabi, Hindi, Kashmiri, Gujarati, Sindhi and Bhojpuri. She is of the view that language depicts the culture of the region and speaks about the people. She loves light classical, ghazal and bhajan.

She started singing at the age of 9. She used to sing ragas like darbaari and sugrahi at the age of 13. A lot of improvisation is required in singing, she says. The different moods of nature are depicted in classical music, she remarks.

She likes the ghazals of Nazakat Ali and Salamat Ali as well as Waaris Shah by Hans Raj Hans. She is an ardent admirer of Mohammed Rafi. She loves Mirza and Punjabi folk music. She loves to read and cannot resist saag and makai ki roti. She says today’s generation should be close to its roots and should be aware about its culture.

Western wear in vogue
By Binny Sharma

CHANDIGARH Aug 22 — Youngsters are always crazy for latest fashion trends and different looks, preferably in student life. A drastic change is seen in the choice of casual and formal outfits in students. Salwar kameez and dupatta are considered formal wear by most of the girls here because they feel jeans and tops are more comfortable.

Usually, a student is concerned about different kinds of dresses, but after joining university, maturity comes and tastes change. But this concept has now gone old, with people preferring to wear only what is comfortable and looks good on them.

Some girls think that Indian culture is losing its ethnicity because of westernisation. Rohita, a student of MA English II year, remarked, “Yes, it is true that girls prefer western clothes more as they are more comfortable and salwar kameez is restricted to formals. But nothing can match our Indian clothes in this world.

Dimple from the same department agrees with her friend, “Girls wearing suits are considered more sober by boys. Besides, it gives a decent impression. I wear both western and Indian kind of dresses.”

Reet Jyani of MA II denies the facts, she says, “Wearing jeans or skirts does not mean that the girl is not having cultural values. We have to live for ourselves and whatever we feel comfortable, we should wear it.”

Mattu Sarao from Law Department has totally different opinion. She says, “Change is the need of the world, otherwise life will become lousy. So it is a boon for Indian girls that we can choose from such a wide variety of clothes. The misconception that girls wearing suit looks decent is very stupid”. Shewta Sahgal from M.Com I year exclaims, “I always wear salwar kameez because it is more comfortable and always in fashion”. Shikha, a final-year student, admits “I am here in this campus for the past four years. I remember that girls used to hesitate wearing short tops or trousers in classes, but now the outlook is totally changed. Girls do not mind going anywhere wearing anything”.

Another M.A. final-year student Radhika agrees. She says, “Nowadays, girls do not bother going to departments in any dress. I was very conscious about it. Jeans are not considered as western dress any more. Besides, it is a good and durable dress”.

Boys are not far behind. They go in for brand names and prefer to wear shirts from Benetton or Polo and shoes from Nike or Addidas.

Hardeep Nayol, a student of final-year of Law Department, says, “I am very brand concious and always go in for shirts from Benetton or Colour Plus, shoes from Nike and jeans from Levis. This thing gives satisfaction while shopping.

“Another student of agriculture says, “I always prefer white shirt, maybe from any company. I am very colour conscious”. He emphasises that those guys who have good physique should wear shirts like Bollywood He-mans.

Some guys do not like wearing jeans and T-shirts. Ritesh of M.A. I year explains, “Guys have less choice to make. I do not like wearing jeans and T-shirts. I always wear trousers and full sleeves shirt”.