EDUCATION

NIPER to be dedicated to nation
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Sept 20 — The National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER) is one of the two centres in the world accredited by the World Health Organisation (WHO) for conducting bio-equivalence studies of the fixed dose combinations of anti-tuberculosis drugs.

Disclosing this at a press conference here today, the director of NIPER, Dr C.L. Kaul, said the institute, which had been declared as an institute of national importance by an Act of Parliament, will be dedicated to the nation by the Union Minister of Chemicals and Fertilizer, Mr Suresh H Prabhu.

Dr Kaul said research activity at the institute started in 1996 and teaching two years later in seven disciplines, including pharmaceutics medicinal chemistry, biotechnology, pharmacology and toxicology. The thrust areas of research include tuberculosis, malaria and standardization of herbal formulations. The first batch of masters degree students graduated in January and the first batch of thirty PhD students were admitted to the institute in January 1998.

The special feature of the institute was the department of pharmaceutical technology which had been created to directly interact with the industry to meet global challenges. Dr Kaul said the institute had initiated research in tackling tropical diseases which were being neglected by pharma companies due to high costs and low returns. He said agencies like departments of science and technology, CSIR, ICMR and department of biotechnology had sponsored 25 projects. Another 20 projects were funded by pharma industries.

PU highs amidst the chaos
By Sanjeev Singh Bariana
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Sept 20 — During times of political hubbub in Panjab University, an academic achievement comes in as a ray of hope for the future of the institution.

Prof S.K.Kulkarni, Dean, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, in a noticeable achievement has been unanimously elected as the president of the Indian Pharmaceutical Congress Association recently. Professor Kulkarni will preside over the 53rd session of the Indian Pharmaceutical Congress scheduled for December 2001.

He will become the youngest teacher to preside over the supreme body of the pharmaceutical sciences. Professor Kulkarni’s achievement is important as the congress happens to be a federation, largely dominated by the industrial sector and the regulatory bodies.

Professor Kulkarni becomes the third teacher from Panjab University to preside over the national congress. Earlier Prof K.N.Gaind became the president in 1971 and Prof Harkishan Singh in 1981.

A Fulbright scholar of the US education foundation, Professor Kulkarni was earlier elected fellow of the National Academy of Medical Sciences. He has to his credit about 200 research papers and about 130 review papers, chapters and articles.

Dr Kulkarni has also been a consultant to the World Health Organisation (WHO), member of the Indian Pharmacopoeia Committee, secretary general of the Indian Pharmacological Programme, and the honorary director of the Regional Sophisticated Instrumentation Centre, PU. He has been honoured with the coveted Ranbaxy Research Foundation award, the Acharya P.C Ray Gold medal, Professor G.P.Srivastava memorial national award, and the Professor B. Uvnas award to name a few.

Mr Krishan Sethi, a laboratory assistant in the Chemical Engineering Department, is making news on the campus with the creation of a clock which runs anti-clockwise.

Mr Sethi accepts that it was not his invention but it was definitely a “lesser heard creation” here. Curious onlookers could be seen taking a peep at the clock. The needles running reverse nevertheless show the correct time in the new format.

Mr Krishan Sethi said, “There is no need for a change in needles or other components. It was application of a simple theory changing the poles of needles”. “Nothing new, but a work worth a watch’, a teacher said.

Prof D.C.Saxena, a former faculty member of the English Department, has been called by the All India (Press) Letter Writers Association on September 24 to Mumbai to be conferred the “Knight of Conscience” award for “patience, perseverance and painstaking efforts in spite of painful experience” during his academic career, a press note says.

In the department of Physics work on an international project is underway.

A senior teacher said, “In the existing atmosphere achievements and dedicated work on projects often goes unnoticed. There seems to be a greater interest in power games and self and group interests”.

COURTS

Judicial remand for four
From Our Correspondent

CHANDIGARH, Sept 20 — Four persons involved in a murder case were sent to judicial remand today by the UT Judicial Magistrate (Ist Class) till October 3.

It was alleged that the four accused namely Jinder, Dhanu, Ravi and Satpal had murdered Narinder Singh at Mauli Jagran. The victim, a student of Class X, was a resident of Rajiv Colony, Panchkula. The bail application moved by Dhanu was dismissed by the UT Judge yesterday.

Defamation case
The UT Chief Judicial Magistrate, Mr Sant Parkash, on Wednesday adjourned the defamation case filed against the owner of the Zee Network, Mr Subhash Chandra, Rajat Sharma, Sudhir Sharma, Mr Bhajan Lal, a former Chief Minister, Haryana, till September 22 for further argument.

It was alleged that on October 20, 1996, on Zee Television news reader Sudhir Sharma read the news that Mr Bhajan Lal houses at Hisar and Adampur had been raided by the CBI and some documents were recovered from his house.

Adulteration case
Sunil Malik, a resident of Mani Majra, has been sent to one year’s rigorous imprisonment and fined Rs 20,000 by the UT Chief Judicial Magistrate, Mr Sant Parkash, in a food adulteration case.

It was charged that a Food Inspector inspected the shop in 1995 at Mani Majra and taken the sample of arhar dal. The sample was found adulterated.

Bail granted
The UT Judicial Magistrate (Ist Class) on Wednesday granted bail to Mauli Jagran resident Surinder Kaur in a assault and criminal intimidation case. The other two accused namely Balbir and Kulwinder Singh were sent to judicial remand till October 3.

Dowry case
The UT Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate on Wednesday granted bail to Amritsar resident Ranjit Singh in a dowry case. The complainant, Jaswinder Kaur, alleged that the accused had demanded dowry and harassed her.