EDUCATION

A library with only 1982 books

THE Nauhria Mal Jain School was opened in 1937 and shifted to its present premises in 1954. The Principal, O.P. Arora, state awardee, said, “There are around 3000 students in my school. I started building the library in 1982. There are too more branches of this school in Baag Wali Gali and Trunk Bazar but those two schools do not have any library.” But in all these 18 years the number of books has been only 1982. The Principal, himself was surprised to find the low number of books in his library.

The principal seemed satisfied with the reading habits of the students. Sunny, a student of +2 said: “I never go to the library for I don’t find it useful. Moreover, we have to rush for tuitions.” — AA

Plays a hit at youth fest
From Our Correspondent

LUDHIANA, Nov 22 — Plays and histrionics presented by the students of nine women's colleges were major hits at the ongoing Panjab University youth festival of Zone -A at Khalsa College for Women.

The students of Guru Nanak Khalsa College, Gujarkhan Campus, presented a play, Dal Dal, in which they focused on problems of rural folk under debt. The students of the host college enacted a tragic play, Jazbian De Aar Paar on the life of an honest police inspector, while the students of Mata Ganga College, Kotan presented a paly titled Kajri.

Renu Singh of the host college presented a comedy Aayee bo and Charanpreet of Guru Nanak Khalsa College mimiced Laloo.

In instrumental music, seven students played the sitar, three of them performed on the tabla and only one student played the dholki. In the Indian orchestra, the various teams performed using a combination of various percussion and non-percussion instruments including sitar, harmonium, jal tarang, tabla, sarod and dil ruba. The theme for the debate was 'Indian youth will be happier in the 21th century'.

The results of various items are as follows — Instrumental music: Sitar - Jinny Bawa of Khalsa College for Women(1), Monika Vij of SDP College for Women (2), Jasdeep Kaur of Government College for Women(3).Tabla : Amandeep Kaur of Khalsa College for Women(1), Amarpreet Kaur of Guru Nanak Girls College(2), Sweety Jain of SDP College for Women (3).Dholki : Sanjeev Kumar of Government College for Women (1).Poetry recitation: Jaskanwal Kaur Sohi of Khalsa College for Women (1), Manpreet Kaur of Ramgarhia Girls College (2), Premdeep Dhillon of Ramgarhia Girls College (3). 

Staff, students boycott classes
From Our Correspondent

LUDHIANA, Nov 22 — The staff and students of Master Tara Singh Memorial College for Women boycotted classes demanding that there should be uniformity of norms regarding age of retirement in the college.

In the morning, the teachers wore black badges but the first two classes were held as usual.

The teachers informed that the last week they had told the management that they should either give extension to Ms Gursharan Kaur, a lecturer in the college whose retirement is due on November 30, or give relieve Principal Kuldip Kaur who had been given two years of extension.

In the third period, the teachers came to know that Mr Ranbir Singh, secretary of the management committee, had come to the college and the teachers decided to meet him. The teachers said that soon after the arrival of the secretary in the college, 15 teachers were given some letters. Apprehending some threat, the teachers refused to receive the letters.

They then sat on a mattress outside the Office of the Principal, waiting for the secretary to come out. The teachers said that the Principal and the secretary came out of the office but went without inquiring about the reason for the dharna. The teachers informed that seeing the staff and some students on the dharna, the Principal declared that the college be closed.

The teachers also informed that they had no intention of going on strike tomorrow and said that if the Principal would declare the college open, they would attend college.

The Principal, when contacted, said that the teachers had boycotted the classes to protest against 40 hours’ stay order in the college. She said that even the letters issued to them by the secretary carried the same message. She added that the college would open tomorrow.

Course for CBSE examiners
From Our Correspondent

LUDHIANA, Nov 22 — To train examiners of CBSE, a training programme for teachers of Social Studies from the schools of Ludhiana and Patiala was held at Greenland Day Boarding Public School here today.

Nearly 50 teachers of history, civics, geography and economics, taking Class X in their respective schools, attended the programme. The resource person, Ms J. Singh, Principal, P. K. R. Jain Public School, Ambala, explained to the teachers about the marking procedure. Sample question papers and solved answer sheets were given and the teachers were told to mark those answer sheets. Then, the teachers were asked to justify their marking for all questions.

Discussions were also held on marking style. Ms Singh stressed upon teachers to be lenient while checking and give cent per cent marks if the answer was correct. 

36 students participate in contest
From Our Correspondent

LUDHIANA, Nov 22 — Thirtysix students from 18 schools affiliated with the CBSE participated in the Sahodaya School declamation contest held at Gujranwala Guru Nanak Public School, here today.

While most of the students spoke on “Decaying moral values — a failure of education”, the other 11 topics were “Failures are the stepping stones to success”, “Action is thy duty, reward is not thy concern”, “It is easier to forgive an enemy than to forgive a friend”, “Indian sports in the doldrums”, “If you think education is expensive, try ignorance”, “Belief is harder to shake than knowledge”, “Better make a weak man your enemy than a friend”, “Poverty anywhere is a danger to peace”, “Courageous leadership can make all the difference”, “Liberalisation and Indian economy” and “Caste politics - a vote bank”.

Anil Goyal from Class XII of Kundan Vidya was declared first, Mandeep Kaur from Class X of the host school stood second and third prize went to Amrita Grewal from Class XI of DAV Public School. Consolation prizes were given to Deepika Bhalla of Saint Thomas Senior Secondary School and Randeep Kaur of GRD Academy.

KVM team lifts school quiz trophy
From Our Correspondent

LUDHIANA, Nov 22 — Students from 15 schools affiliated with the CBSE competed for Sahodaya School quiz contest held at Kundan Vidya Mandir here today.

Each team comprised two students from classes IX and X. Eight teams were screened in a written test in which the students had to answer 20 questions in 10 minutes. This was followed by 12 rounds in which questions based on current affairs, geography, science and literature were asked.

There were also some video rounds in which the students were shown clippings of films and questions pertaining to the clippings were asked. Also still pictures of eminent personalities were shown and the students were asked to identify them. Live audio rounds were conducted in which a music teacher sang several Hindi and English numbers.

Finally, Mukul Mohindru and Anurag Mohindra of Kundan Vidya Mandir were declared first. The team of Simran and Neeti of CFC School stood second and Anumeet Bagga and Jaspreet of Guru Nanak Public School were declared third.

Ms Suzy, conducted the quiz and Lt Col K. Christopher was the chief guest. Mrs Indira Kumar, Principal, gave away prizes to the students.
 

CULTURE

Millennium Urdu Award for Kewal Dheer
From Our Correspondent

LUDHIANA, Nov 22 — Dr Kewal Dheer, the eminent Urdu fiction writer, has been chosen for the prestigious “Millennium Urdu Award” by Karnataka Cultural Akademi for his collection of Urdu short stories entitled Kahaniyan. The award carries a gold medal, a citation and a purse of Rs 11,000 which will be presented to him in a special function in Bangalore in January next year.

Bhasha Vibhag Punjab has also announced the Best Publication Award of the year in Urdu to be given to the same book written by Dr Kewal Dheer and published by Sahir Cultural Akademi UP had recently given the National Library Award on this book. This book has bagged three awards in the current year.

Dr Dheer is one of the most illustrious and celebrated Urdu writers of the country and a big name in Urdu fiction in the subcontinent. He has authored more than 60 (published) books in Urdu, Hindi, Punjabi and English languages, which include, short story collections, novels, travelogues, biographies and books on medicine. He has written stories for films, TV serials, plays and many features and his works have been translated into 13 Indian and foreign languages.

Dr Dheer is the only Urdu writer of international fame from Punjab who is the recipient of more than two dozen recognised state, national and international awards. He was honoured by the British Prime Minister, Mr Tony Blair, on the occasion of the celebrations of the 50th anniversary of India’s Independence, held in London, for his outstanding contribution to Indian literature.

Dr Dheer is associated with various literary and cultural fora, including the Adeeb International (Sahir Cultural) as its cultural secretary, under the auspices of which the international mushaira is held every year.