EDUCATION

‘Political pressure behind extension to principal’
From Deepkamal Kaur

LUDHIANA, Oct 30 — This could well be another example where the set rules have been flouted or moulded to suit the interests of the rich and the powerful, allegedly under political pressure from the powers that be in the state.

Against accepted norms, the principal of a local college, Ms Kuldeep Kaur, has been granted superannuation for two years. This has allegedly been done under political pressure as the said principal is the sister of the serving Advocate General, Punjab, Mr H.S. Mattewal. The extension has created quite a furore amongst the teaching fraternity, not just at the Master Tara Singh College where she is presently serving, but in other colleges affiliated to Panjab University as well.

The case was also taken up at the PU Syndicate meeting held on Saturday, where Mr Satish Kumar Sharma, a member of the Syndicate and lecturer from another local college, pointed out that the Mr Amrit Arora, Principal of R.S.D. College, Ferozepore, had to retire at the age of 60 years, since the Punjab government denied any grant to that college. He further stated that she was appointed as a presiding officer in the Senate election held in September this year, despite the fact that her name was missing from the voters’ list.

Dr H.S. Deol, DPI (Colleges), Punjab, has said that the Punjab government would not give any grant for paying the salary of the Principal of Master Tara Singh College. Therefore, the college management would have to pay for her salary, thus causing a financial loss to the college.

The members of the staff are also sore over this decision of the management as some of the teachers are now on the verge of retirement. Mrs Gursharan Kaur, lecturer in political science, has her retirement due on December 1 of this year. The staff members demand that Mrs Gursharan Kaur should also be given extension for another two years the way it has been done in the case of the principal of the college. They also pointed out that their Principal was not in good terms with them and she forced them to stay back in the college for 40 hours a week as per the notification of the Punjab government.

Ms Kuldeep Kaur, when contacted, however, denied any allegations of using political pressure as she said that she was never interested in getting extension and was rather satisfied with her 22-year-long service. She said, ‘‘I was told by the members of the management committee to apply for extension and after initial reluctance I agreed to it. I applied and the government and the university authorities agreed to the request. There was no problem in getting extension and, therefore, no political pressure was required.’’

She further said that she had always been in good terms with the members of her staff and that she had told the teachers to stay back because it was in the interest of the students of the college. She further informed that even though some kind of resentment was observed among the teachers, the classes were being held regularly.

Mr Arjun Singh, president of the college committee, said that the need for Ms Kuldeep Kaur to stay back in the college was felt and so the committee wanted her to apply for extension.

Award for PAU professor
From Our Correspondent

LUDHIANA, Oct 30 — Dr G.S. Dhaliwal, Professor of ecology, PAU, has been conferred the “Best Scientist Award” by the National Environmental Science Academy (NESA). The award carries a gold medal a, citation and a certificate. Besides this, the academy has nominated him for the NESA fellowship. He has been chosen for this twin distinction “in view of his outstanding contribution to environmental management and sustainable development." He is the first PAU scientist to bag this prestigious honour.

According to a press note issued by the academy, “Dr Dhaliwal is one of the pioneering scientists to discover widespread contamination of milk and milk products with organochlorine insecticides in India. He is credited with elucidation of biochemical mechanisms of resistance in rice against insect parts. He has successfully exploited the potential of botanical pesticides and other eco-friendly approaches for management of insect pests in agroecosystems.”

The press note further says, “Dr Dhaliwal has been instrumental in spreading environmental awareness among students, teachers, technocrats, farmers, army personnel and laymen by delivering a series of lectures , media talks, and organising seminars, debates, exhibitions and workshops. The books written by him on various aspects of environment, pest management and sustainable agriculture have been of immense use for students, teachers and research workers in various universities and colleges. He has played a pivotal role in organising several national and international conferences, which paved the way for launching many environment-oriented programmes aimed at sustainable development of the society.”

After doing Ph. D from the Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi , where he was awarded the Gurprasad Pradhan Gold Medal, Dr Dhaliwal remained postdoctoral fellow at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI),Manila, Philippines for two years. His work at the IRRI has been acclaimed worldwide.

Dr Dhaliwal has more than 400 publications to his credit, including 150 research papers, 100 popular articles and 70 book chapters and reviews. He has authored and edited more than 25 books which are being used as advanced text and reference books in may developing countries. Some of his books have been reviewed in leading research journals of the USA and the UK.

Currently, he is compiling a three-volume book series “Advances in Biopesticide Research,” which is to be published by Harwood Academic Publishers. He is also involved in organising two international conferences scheduled in February and November 2001 at Chandigarh and New Delhi, respectively.

2 PAU scientists elected to ISEE 
From Our Correspondent

LUDHIANA, Oct 30 — Two scientists of the Department of Extension Education of the PAU, namely, Dr G.S. Saini and Dr D.S. Ladher have been elected unopposed as councillors of the Indian Society of Extension Education for the period 2000-2003 for the first time to represent northern India on the executive committee of the society.

Both Dr Saini and Dr Ladher have already served as presidents of the Indian Society of Extension Education (Punjab Chapter) in the past.

The two have been invited by the president, ISEE, Dr O.S. Verma to take part in the swearing-in ceremony on December 3, at CSA University of Agriculture, Kanpur. On this occasion a national conference on the subject "Interface between extension education, distance education and continuing education", is also being organised where scientists from India and abroad will participate.

GNPS students win inter-school quiz
From Our Correspondent

LUDHIANA, Oct 30 — The District Education Department organised a science fair at Guru Nanak Khalsa High School, Model Town, here today in which inter-school chart-making and quiz contests were held.

Students representing 22 schools, each in a team of two, participated in the quiz contest. There were five rounds, one each of physics, chemistry and biology, one mixed round while the last round was on environment. Karanvir and Gurinder Pal of Guru Nanak Public School clinched the first prize, Jaskirat and Karandeep of GGN Public School got the second prize and the third prize went to Baljit and Davinder of Government Model Senior Secondary School, Punjab Agricultural University.

In the chart-making competition, students of classes IX and X of 25 schools took part. The students were told to make charts on any one of the six topics which included nuclear reactors, external combustion engine, solar water heater, methane gas, plant cell and nitrogen cycle. The results of chart-making will be declared tomorrow, when a science exhibition will also be held.

Mr Ranjit Singh, headmaster, Government High School, Dhandran, was the in charge of the occasion. Also present was Mr Joginder Singh Taneja, Headmaster of the host Guru Nanak Khalsa High School. 

CULTURE

Ram — an outstanding play
From Asha Ahuja

Oct 30 — After 51 years of continuous staging of the most popular epic, Ram, Shriram Bhartiya Kala Kendra, a pioneer cultural institution promoted by the DCM group has perfected the play into a superlative presentation.

Ram, has been a showpiece presented for most of the visiting national heads as an exposition to Indian culture. Yesterday, after watching the state-of-the-art presentation with its beautiful sets, authentic costumes, melodious music, matched an excellent play of light and sound effects the play provided near divine experience. Even Mr Sunil Munjal, President of the Ludhiana Sanskritik Samagam, who brought this play to Ludhianvis, remarked at the end, “ We have come close to divinity.”

The play opened with the singing by the chorus dressed in beautiful costumes who executed dance steps with great skill since the play was in a ballet form. The choreography was excellent. The chorus sang praises of Lord Rama and sought his blessings. As the light faded out, one saw Valmiki writing the Ramayana and again the chorus narrated the forthcoming events. The three-hour-long ballet touched the important aspects of the epic right from the birth of the four princes to the three queens of Dashrath, to the killing of the demonic king Ravana culminating in the coronation of Lord Rama.

The way the two brothers, Rama and Lakshmana displayed their training with bows and arrows through dance steps was beautiful to behold. While returning, Rama sets his eyes on Sita, who is out in the garden gathering flowers and dancing with her friends. The coyness of Sita and the delicate romance that springs in their hearts was depicted through their facial expressions.

The story unfolds in all the details and one is transported to familiar scenes, worth mentioning is that of Sita leaving her father’s place. The two lackeys, beautifully dressed, hold the edges of the ‘duppata’ which symbolised a doli.

The chorus acted as the Sutradhar. At every important occasion, like on the return of Rama, the chorus heralds his arrival to Ayodhya by performing a spirited dance. Goaded by evil Manthra, who acted well, Kakeyi asks for two boons. She wants her son to be crowned king and Rama to be sent into exile. He quotes the famous lines from Ramayana,

‘Raghukul reet sada chali aayee,

Praan jaye par vacchan na jayee.’

His sorrow and pathos on parting from his son touched the chords of every one’s heart. While travelling to the jungle, the human boat of Kevat, dancing to the tunes of music which suggested the lapping of water and the waves created by light and sound were a visual treat for sore eyes tired of watching crass advertisements.

The golden antelope, that darts in and out, created a beautiful illusion effect. While Ravana carries away Sita, the brave bird Jatayu, dressed in a feathery costume, puts up an excellent fight. The backdrop of the blue sky dotted with feathery clouds, the accompanying music, lifted this scene above the rest.

Ravana’s costume resembling that of a Kathakali dancer’s, with the right kind of embellishment gives him an aura of arrogance and might. The delightful monkeys of Bali created mirth by straying among the audience. The ballet logically reaches its conclusion, when good triumphs over evil. The fight between the noble people and asuraas is worth mentioning for its martial tunes and steps.

Again the chorus, in different costumes this time, are the harbingers of happy tidings that Rama was back. The pretty girls of Ayodhya perform a ‘diya dance’ with lighted diyas in their hands. Their ghagras beautifully twirled with their graceful movements. The piece-de-resistance was the scene of coronation. The splendour of the scene left the audience awe.

The play ran for three hours, but the minutes ran swiftly. One can only use superlatives for the acting by the entire cast, costumes, ornaments and the way Sita’s sarees were draped. She changes her costumes and hair styles a couple of times but very swiftly . The music was excellent. The new format of presentation in a simple language was wonderful.

Deborah, a foreigner, who had come to witness the place said," I am simply floored by the beauty of the presentation. The dances, the costumes, the music will remain in my mind for a long time. This is one of the most beautiful memory of India that I will take back home with me.”

Rajkumar Sharma, in the role of Rama, Kankoli as Sita, Swapan Mazumdar as Laxman, Nitin Sharma as Ravana gave memorable performances. The props were simple but quite dramatic in effect. The play scripted by Neelabh and Arvind Kumar and music by Shanti managed to encapsulate the essence of Rama’s life in a few episodes.