EDUCATION

14 teachers to get award today
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Sept 4 — Ecstatic, that's how most of the teachers described their feelings after recognition of years of dedicated efforts put in by them in their service.The real reward, is though, most of the teachers feel is the success of their students, however, an award for their services will definitely act as a motivator.

On the occasion of Teachers Day, as many as 12 school principals, lecturers, masters and JPT teachers will be presented the state awards by the UT Administration and two teachers will be given commendation certificates.

Dr Surinder Singh,lecturer in physics at GMSSS-33, says: "I am feeling good that my work has been given due recognition. But even today the school teachers are not treated on a par with the college-level teachers despite being equally qualified". He feels that the award, which is a lifetime achievement for a teacher, needs to carry more value in terms of additional benefits to the teachers who are given these awards.

Ms Sudesh Kumari, a JBT teacher at GGHS-25, finds it more satisfying to work for the children in slum areas than getting an award. "I had really not thought of an award. For me when an additional child from the slum area joins the school or when one such child passes out is much bigger than any award on this earth" says she. Preparing 650 volunteers to impart adult education is another achievement to her credit.

Mr Prakash Chander Sharma of DAV Senior Secondary School, Sector 8, who has put in 21 years of service as a teacher, also feels that the real reward for the teacher lies in the success of his students. He is active in several cultural activities and knows seven languages.

For Mr Shingara Singh, Principal, GSSS, Sector 45, will also receive a commendation certificate. After 31 years of teaching, he also feels that school teachers need to be provided more facilities.

For Mr Amarjit Singh, lecturer in Punjabi at GSSS, Sector 27, the award will act as a great source of motivation for him in the future. However, he too feels the need of more benefits for the awardees. "Benefits like extension in services, hospitals, reservations to the children etc must be given to the teachers who get an award", he opines.

Ms Sunita Suri, SS Mistress at Shishu Niketan Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 22, echoes Mr Amarjeet's views. As a teacher of a private school she feels that the teachers in private institutions get to learn more and work in varied spheres which helps them in the longer run.

Ms Savinderjeet Kaur, a JBT teacher in Sector 45, is a different teacher. In today's educational set up where emphasis is more on learning in less time, she involves her students completely in learning process by teaching them through poems. For even a subject as mathematics, she uses rhymes and tries to make it interesting. "I am feeling very happy for receiving an award but, really have been so involved with my students that I had never even thought or desired it ", she says.

Ms Asha Sharma, Principal, GGSSS, Sector 8, too feels that an award has boosted her morale. "But the sole motto of a teacher should be learning, learning from the students and from all", feels she.

Mrs Raviraj, lecturer at GMSSS, Sector16, who has 22 years of service to her credit, is active in extra curricular activities and is happy that her efforts have been duly recognised and rewarded. "But I personally feels that school teachers need to be given more incentives", she says. However, she expresses her satisfaction towards the respect that teachers get in society.

Ms Urmil Seth, a teacher in Shishu Niketan Model Senior Secondary School, expressed her happiness on being selected for the award.

Mr Shekhar Chander of GMSSS, Sector 47, gives the entire credit for his achievement to his mother who also retired as a teacher. "I always dream of becoming a teacher and have loved the work I did. Now that my efforts have been recognised, so I'm feeling elated", he said.Names of teachers who will get state awards and commendation certificates.

Name of the teachers who will get state awards and commendation certificates.

State awardees:

Ms Asha Sharma, Principal, GGSSS-8

Ms Kamla Bains ,Principal, GMSSS-47

Dr Surinder Singh, lecturer, GMSSS-33

Ms Raviraj Kaur, lecturer, GMSSS-16

Mr Amarjit Singh, lecturer, GSSS-27

Mr Amarnath, GHS, Khudda Ali Sher

Mr Shekhar Chander, GMSSS-47

Mrs Vinod, GMSSS-40

Mrs Urmil Seth, Shishu Niketan Model Senior Secondary School

Mr Prakash Chander, DAV Senior Secondary School, Sector 8

Ms Sudesh Kumari, GGHS-25

Ms Savinderjeet Kaur, JBT teacher, Sector 45

Commendation certificates:

Mr Shingara Singh, Principal, GSSS-45

Ms Sunita Suri, Shishu Niketan Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 22

Panjab University Senate poll
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Sept 4 — Elections to three ordinary Fellows to the Panjab University Senate from the professional and technical college lecturers constituency were held today. These include medical, engineering, home science and B.Ed colleges affiliated to Panjab University. The main contenders are Dr S.S. Gill, Additional Professor, PGI, Mr Shashi Kala from DAV College of Education, Abohar, Satinder Singh Gidda from DAV College of Education, Hoshiarpur, S.S. Sangha from GHG College of Education, Gurusar Sadhar, and Daljit Singh of Government College of Education, Sector 20, Chandigarh.

The three persons from the principals’ of professional and technical colleges constituency have been elected unanimously. These are Satinder Dhillon, Principal, Dev Samaj College for Education, Sector 36, Chandigarh, Jagdish Kaur, Principal, Dev Samaj College for Education, Ferozepore and Govinder Kaur, Principal, SDS College of Education, Lopon, Moga district.

Sanskrit gives identity to Indians: Pathak
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Sept 4 — A three-day seminar on Sanskrit started at the Panjab University’s ICSSR complex today. The seminar organised by the Department of Sanskrit Panjab University, was inaugurated by the Vice-Chancellor, Dr K.N. Pathak. In his inaugural address the VC said Sanskrit was very important in giving identity to the people of India and that seminars like this would go a long way in enhancing the scope and prestige of regional languages.

The utility of the Sanskrit language from which large borrowings had been made by the other languages was underlined by the scholars. The scholars also dwelt upon the relevance of Sanskrit in the world literature.

The morning session of the seminar was chaired by Partap Bandhpadhyaya, Head Department of Sanskrit, Burdman University, West Bengal. Prof A.K. Prasad, former DUI and as much a scholar of geology as of Sanskrit, mentioned the simple ways of learning a great language. Prof Rajender Prasad Mishra of Shimla and Dr Shaktidhar Sharma, a former Prof of Physics at Punjabi University, Patiala highlighted the link between the fine arts and scientific knowledge.

Mr Kamleshwar Sinha of Visva Bharati Santiniketan, a guest speaker, emphasised the need of familiarisation of children in all homes with simplified classics. In the present age of computers, CDs, cassettes apart from the Internet one could enrich oneself easily while attending to other work. Sanskrit symbolised culture and a person minus Sanskrit was a person minus from culture.

The conference showed the basic cultural oneness of India while scholars from the north spoke of the wisdom of Mandan Mishra, Dr Narayanji Jha of Kanchi Sanskrit University said if the basic unity of India was to be preserved, it was to be constantly remembered that Sanskrit was subterranean unifying cultural element.

A large number of scholars from various parts of the country are taking part in the seminar Dr Shankarji Jha had made excellent arrangements.

PCCTU plans telegram campaign
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Sept 4 — The Punjab and Chandigarh College Teachers Union has decided to start a telegram campaign on the occasion of Teachers Day. The PCCTU’s President, Mr KPS Sodhi, said in a press note that the telegram, which is being sent to the Chief Justice of India and the President of India, states that the Punjab Government is denying justice to teachers by not implementing its own act. The President and the Chief Justice have been requested to intervene.

Mrs Hardeep Shahi, convener, Women’s Wing, PCCTU, will launch a signature campaign in different women colleges of Punjab and Chandigarh demanding setting up of a women’s grievance cell in the universities of Punjab to prevent exploitation and harassment of women lecturers in the colleges of Punjab and Chandigarh, the press note said.

Teachers to court arrest today
From Our Correspondent

CHANDIGARH, Sept 4 — A large number of teachers drawn from 172 non-government-aided and unaided colleges of Punjab and UT will court-arrest tomorrow outside the office of the Human Resource Development Ministry at 11 a.m. This was stated by Mr Charanjit Chawla, general secretary, Punjab and Chandigarh College Teachers Union, in a press note released here today.

He said the teachers were forced to take this step due to non-implementation of the agreement signed by Union Minister Murli Manohar Joshi and representatives of the AIFUCTO on September 5, 1998, following the 26-day-long strike throughout the country.

Mr N.P. Manocha, finance secretary, PCCTU, said Teachers Day would be observed as ‘betrayal day’ by AIFUCTO to protest against the indifferent attitude of the Human Resource Development Ministry.

Dr R.K. Bahl is human rights don
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Sept 4 — Dr R.K. Behl, a former Principal of Government College, Sector 11, here, Director of the State Institute of Education for many years, a member of the Consumer Court and a Gandhian philosopher, has been honoured with professorship by the Indian Institute of Human Rights.

The appointment letter says that Dr Bahl’s ability to “enlighten people in all spheres of human rights by way of maximising admission in this revolutionary programme” has been recognised. This honour goes to entire Chandigarh, which finds a special mention in the official communication, as a city of human rights awareness.

e-commerce training centre opens
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Sept 4 — The Indian Institute of Hardware Technology (IIHT) opened its first e-commerce training and service centre in Chandigarh on Monday. The IIHT centre, named INSET focuses on software export technology and offers a job guarantee on a stamp paper to its students. INSET will offer courses related to the Internet and e-commerce and will provide services like web hosting, distribution of e-commerce trading etc.. Their main course is of 18 months and the student is guaranteed a job of atleast Rs. 3000.

COURTS

Anticipatory bail rejected
From Our Correspondent

CHANDIGARH, Sept 4 — The UT Additional District and Sessions Judge, Mr S.K. Goel, today rejected the anticipatory bail of a Sangrur resident Naresh Kumar in case of cheating and criminal conspiracy. The complainant, Vijay Kumar, alleged that accused, Naresh Kumar, had sold hundred shares of a pharmaceutical company worth Rs 28,893 to him, but shares could not transferred in his name. He further alleged that the accused had not returned his money.

The accused counsel argued that Naresh Kumar was falsely implicated in the case although it was Naresh Kumar, who had to take nearly Rs 5 lakh from the complainant.

The Judge observed that the accused was not cooperating in the investigation and therefore could not be granted anticipatory bail.

Bar condemns attack on Judge
From Our Correspondent

CHANDIGARH, Sept 4 — The District Bar Association, today, condemned the attack on woman Judge Shalini Singh by a lawyer, Ishwer Singh at Kaithal district courts, in a meeting held here today.

President of the District Bar Association, Mr N.K. Nanda, said in a press note that it was a shameful incident and such misbehaviour from a lawyer was not expected.

CULTURE

A rich feast of traditional crafts
By Aditi Tandon
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Sept 4 — There is nothing glittery and glamorous about the exhibition which opened at Lala Lajpat Rai Bhavan here yesterday. For once, the show is all about the real folk talent of India and its power to play with rare mediums ranging from jute and waste cotton to china stone and coke stone.

In the picture are the works of about 40 skilled men who have been picked by the Akhil Bharatiya Dastkaar Samiti from all over the country to exhibit their products before the residents public of the city. And the works being displayed are all hand-made, right from the traditionally-revered silk sarees from the land of Benaras to the majestically woven jute jhoolas by craftsmen from Calcutta. The Kaarigari Craft Bazaar (as it has been rightly titled), which stocks a vast variety of products, will be on till September 12, with about six more artisans expected to join the display.

The interesting part of the show is its diverse character. The artisans who are displaying handicraft and handloom items have converged on the city from regions as far as down south. It may be recalled that the Dastkaar Samiti had put up a similar exhibition in Parshuram Bhavan about two years ago and it was of great success. Mr Rajesh Kochhar, president of the society, who is the man behind the show, “Our objective is to minimise the role of middlemen so that the artisans get the actual due of their work. All of them have been into the respective trades from generations together and in the process they have mastered the art wonderfully.”

Beginning with Kochhar who has been into the business of recycling waste cotton and paper to give them the shape of note pads, photo albums, shades, diaries etc not, The Tribune went on to talk to six artisans who especially caught the eye for the novelty of their trade.

Mohammad Iliyaas is displaying an amazingly attractive assortment of crockery and other products made out of china stone. A resident of Khujrapotteri village in Uttar Pradesh, Mohd Iliyaas has inherited the skill from forefathers. He said: “We grind stones and then mix the powder with mud to make these products. I have six brothers who are into the same business.” He has a wide variety on the show, including toiletry set (Rs 300), a set of six mugs for Rs 120, and a 37-piece dinner set for just Rs 2,250. All designs have a modern look.

Another artisan hails from Kanyakumari. Ishadar Bruce is here with his collection of hand embroidered products like sofa backs, table covers and mats. “The medium is cotton and the range is very reasonable. Three mats cost Rs 45 and the costliest item is priced at Rs 600.”

Pappu Haldar from Calcutta is a master with jute products. He has also received the skill through genes. The products he makes include the grand jhoolas, both big (for Rs 600) and small (Rs 200), bags (Rs 100) and purses (Rs 15 to Rs 45. He also has table and floor mats.

Sri Gangaram hails from a village near Palwal, Haryana. He has brought an exquisite range of terracota products with him. Among the items are idols of Ganesha and Laksmi, lamp shades, kalash and pots. The designs are intricate and novel in the sense of content. Says Gangaram, “The range is suitable. The costliest item is the huge pot with a shade at the top, Its price is Rs 700. The kalash with a lotus costs just Rs 70.”

Shyam Sunder Mandal from Bihar is an artisan worth a special mention, for his efforts to use coke stone and mould the same into beautiful idols carrying images of the gods and goddesses. He said, “I had to shift to Delhi to further my business. But I am happy with the trade. I use coke stone carvings in soft stone to give the minute effect. The range of the idols is between Rs 100 and Rs 250.”

Ornamental and decorative products, as always, include the delightful kathputlis by a Rajasthani craftsman Dayal Ram Bhatt who was here during the last exhibition also.

Apart from the above mentioned artisans, there are about 35 others who are here with a wide range of ware. At the entrance of the hall is the stall of Mrs devinder Kaur, treasurer of the samiti, which sports phulkari and french knot products. Delhi craftsmen have about three stalls which are displaying leather products including purses and shoes. Then there is the Calcutta jute to win over hearts with spacious bags just for a meagre Rs 100.

There is also an extensive range of suits, sarees and kurtaas on the display. The Benaras silk sarees are available for a price which comes to Rs 1,000 less than the showroom price. Says artisan Atul Ganni, “We have the original stuff which is rightly priced. the actual price is between Rs 1800 and Rs 4000.” Then there is the Calcutta cotton saree and kantha work by Deepali Sharma who is yet to arrive. Informed his son, “The cotton and kantha work range is between Rs 250 and Rs 2,000. This is the minimal price range anyone can get.”

The desert aura is brought alive by artisan Sushila Devi’s who is here with her block printing range. The work of Vijay Kumar from Kutch, Gujarat includes batik, bandhej, tie and dye products for a mere Rs 300. The Lucknow chicken is available from the stall of Shweta Kumari.

Among other items are the bed covers by UP artisans and daris from Agra. Jayesh Gupta from Agra has brought a massive assortment of daris (the range falls between Rs 40 and Rs 2,400). Meerut craftsman Mohd Sabid is exhibiting the hand-woven mats and bedcovers for a price of Rs 150 (single) and Rs 300 (double).

Where tehzeeb takes a backseat
By Suparna Saraswati

Yeh hamari tehzeeb mein nahin hai; Kya apko kisi ne tehzeeb nahin sikhayee; is shahr ki tehzeeb hee ab nahin rahee; tehzeeb? yani ki culture.

Unfortunately, the word along with its meaning, appears to have become obsolete for many of us, today. Take the case of our City Beautiful, one often laments: “This place is devoid of any culture, Yahan to koi tehzeeb naam ki cheez hee nahin hai! “Surely, it does not have anything to do with the inhabitants of a place, does it? Because if it does, even remotely, then our focus shifts from the place to its people. Chandigarh in its process of historical ageing remains in its stage of infancy. However, it has a substantial number of residents who constitute the senior citizen lobby, which is why sometimes it is also known as the town of and for the retired!

It might be of interest to some that many of the ‘Buzurgs’ of Chandigarh have in fact been witness to the much talked about Lahore culture. To sum up its forgone legacy, as they say, ‘jeene Lahore nahin dekheya, O jamaya hee nahi!’

If one may take the liberty of sharing one’s views with regard to the concept of Tehzeeb, then one might submit by stating that appropriate use of ‘Ps’ and ‘Qs’ alone does not signify an individual’s cultural upbringing. There is certainly much more to it than that. The garb of sophistication coupled with a sound financial backing necessarily does not equip a person with basic social etiquettes. On the contrary, it is this elitist community that usually lacks the Tehzeeb! The popular notion of the term that one grew up with i.e to be humble, polite, helpful and most unportantly proud of being an Indian, has been completely lost in the haphazardness of our modern existence. Scientific and technological advancement should not perhaps uproot one’s socio-cultural identity merely through its unposed relevance in our lives. Nobody wants to deny the arrogance of youth visibly bubbling in the spirited youngsters of the city. At the cost of sermonising, would it not be a better proposition for a happier and safer environment if the boys and girls were not so purposefully unemployed as they currently happen to be!!! Daily racing along the ‘gehri route’ is an ace example of what one is trying to highlight. Gone are the days when being kind and helpful to strangers (read outsiders) was considered to be part of one’s moral responsibility as a good citizen. Now, it is the ‘zamana’ of dhakka mukkis and pushing elbows, irrespective of your age, gender or educational status. In fact, these days, trendy parenting involves a child being constantly tutored in one manner or another to be pushy and precautiously cheeky in their behaviour, both at school and home since that is the key factor involved in shaping his/her “ujjwal bhawishya”. Hence, “beeba bachaas” are a fast depleting species!

Is this the culture that we are inculcating for the coming generations? If so, then let us not be hypocritical by saying,’gosh! Look at the appalling state of affairs in our country, nothing seems to be right in this place. Remember, you reap what you sow. agar neev hee kamzor hogi, to immarat kaise khadi ho payegi.

The “world is my oyster” attitude can be and must be realized by those who dare to dream for a better tomorrow provided an open channel of communication is maintained between the old order (Bazurgiat) and the impatiently ambitions ‘young and the restless’ navjewan nasl. Tehzeeb ‘tehzeeb wallon se hee hoti hai’.