EDUCATION

Chautala gives prizes to 175 DAV students
From Our Correspondent 

CHANDIGARH, Jan 10 — ‘’Students are a precious asset of the nation upon whose shoulders rest the future of nation,’’ said the Haryana Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala at the prize distribution function of DAV Model School, Sector 15.

Almost 175 students got prizes for achievements in academics, sports and extra curricular activities. Students of the school had won laurels for both scholastic and non-scholastic activities. Anchal, Shruti and Swati were adjudged best students for the year.

The function was followed by a colourful cultural programme presented by students of the school. The children presented various traditional dances and songs.

The Principal of the school, Ms Rakesh Sachdeva, read out the annual report and highlighted achievements made during the academic session 1999-2000.

The Regional Director of the Secondary Board of Education, Mr Yog Raj Sachdeva, gave away the prizes to the students.

Quiz on Vivekananda’s life, teachings
Tribune News Service

PANCHKULA, Jan 10 — A talk and a quiz contest on the life and works of Swami Vivekananda will be organised by the Panchkula Journalists Association in the Sector 11 Chaman Lal DAV School here to observe Vivekananda Jayanti on January 12, according to a press note issued here today.

The speaker for the talk on Swami Vivekanand and the Youth of Today will be Mr Shubh Ram Vashishth, while students of the school will speak on the life of Vivekananda.

A quiz, based on the talk, will also be held. The Deputy Commissioner, Mr S.K. Monga, will be the chief guest.

St Vivekanand Millennium School of Pinjore will observe Vivekananda Jayanti as its founder’s day. Painting, pencil-sketching and slogan-writing contests will also be held to mark the day.

A musical on the life of Swami Vivekananda, prepared by the staff of the school, will also be staged.

COURTS

DPI gets 30 days’ jail, fine
From Our Correspondent

CHANDIGARH, Jan 10 — Mrs Justice Bakhshish Kaur of the Punjab and Haryana High Court today sentenced Punjab’s DPI (Schools), Mrs Vidyawati, to one month’s jail and a fine of Rs 2500 in a contempt of court case filed against her by Ms Geeta Rani and 29 others.

Mrs Vidyawati was convicted for violating the High Court order delivered on April 23, 1998, by which it had ordered the DPI to issue appointment letters to petitioners (No 1 to 25) as social science teachers and petitioners (Nos 26 to 30) as mathematics teachers in pursuance of the advertisement published on January 12, 1996.

A Division Bench of the court had ordered her to issue appointment letters to the petitioners within two month, subject to their being found qualified and subject to scrutiny of certificates and other documents. However, the respondent did not issue appointment letters within the stipulated period, thereby violating court orders.

Mrs Vidyawati in her affidavit filed before the court had stated that petitioners (Nos 26 to 30) had been issued appointment letters. The appointment letters to petitioners (Nos 1, 3, 12, 13, 14, 15, 17, 19, 21, 24 and 25) in social sciences had also been issued. But appointment letters to the other petitioners (Nos 2, 4, 11, 16, 18, 20, 22 and 23) had not been issued because their appointment would be contrary to the law laid down by the High Court in the Yaswinder Singh Rana versus the State of Punjab case, which was also upheld by the Supreme Court, she submitted in her affidavit.

Only 3,000 posts of social science teachers along with other posts were advertised but selections were much more than the advertised posts, she submitted adding that, therefore appointment letters could not be issued and there was no wilful default on her part.

However, the petitioners countered Mrs Vidyawati’s contention by submitting that only 2160 teachers had joined against 3,000 advertised posts. The Deputy Advocate- General, Mr Sushant Maini, submitted that the matter of issuing further appointments was still under consideration.

‘‘From the facts and circumstances it is clear that appointment letters to the petitioners have not been issued within the stipulated period as ordered by the Division Bench. The respondent, Mrs Vidyawati, is responsible for violating the orders in not issuing appointment letters nor passing any order whether the petitioners were found suitable, subject to their being qualified and the scrutiny of their certificates and other documents’’, Mrs Bakhshish Kaur observed.

‘‘No such order was conveyed to the affected parties whether they were qualified or whether their certificates on scrutiny were found correct or not”, the Judge noted.

‘‘Accordingly I deem it fit to sentence Mrs Vidyawati to undergo simple imprisonment for one month and a fine of Rs 2,500. In default, she has to undergo imprisonment for 15 more days,’’ the Judge stated.

The order inflicting punishment on Mrs Vidyawati would become operational after three months. The aforesaid time being allowed to Mrs Vidyawati to reconsider the matter in totality and to purge the contempt of court committed by her or to avail of her appellate remedy, if she be advised, the Judge added.

Life conviction upheld

A Division Bench of the High Court comprising Mr Justice A.S. Garg and Mr Justice H.S. Bedi today upheld the conviction of Jai Pal, a resident of Sikandpur village in Muzaffarnagar district of Uttar Pradesh for kidnapping the 5-year-old son of his employer, Pala Ram, on April 30,1994. He had kidnapped the boy from Khera village of Jind district for ransom.

The Additional District and Sessions Judge, Jind, had convicted him to life imprisonment and a fine of Rs 5000 on October 28,1995.

Jai Pal filed an appeal in court against his conviction which was dismissed by the Bench observing: “The act of the appellant was pre-determined and had strong motive to extort money from the parents of the boy and there is no merit in his appeal”.

14-day remand for GMCH guards
From Our Correspondent

CHANDIGARH, Jan 10 — The three security guards arrested yesterday from Government Medical College and Hospital, Sector 32, for the lathi charge on journalists were sent to fourteen days judicial remand today by the UT Judicial Magistrate (first class), Mr K.K. Goyal. The city police had registered a case of rioting and criminal intimidation against the three, Paramjit Singh, Kuldeep Singh and Vikas.

The incident took place when reporters and lensmen of the electronic and print media tried to meet singer Gurdas Mann, in the hospital. The Magistrate also issued a notice for January 11, on the bail application moved by the accused.

Trafficking case
The UT Chief Judicial Magistrate, Mr Sant Parkash, sentenced two persons held under the Immoral Trafficking Prevention Act to fourteen days judicial remand. The city police had arrested Krishna Devi along with a girl from near Azad Rehri Market yesterday and registered a case. The Magistrate also issued a notice for January 11 on the bail application moved by the accused.

Four remanded
Raj Devi, a resident of Panchkula, Shamsher Singh, a resident of Narwana, and two others held under the Immoral Trafficking Prevention Act were sent to judicial remand till January 20, by the UT Chief Judicial Magistrate, Mr Sant Parkash. The four were held by the city police from Sector 29 yesterday and registered a case. The Magistrate also issued a notice for January 11, on the bail application moved by the four accused.

5 Haryana employees held, released
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Jan 10 — Five Haryana employees, protesting against the delay in implementation of a Supreme Court judgement on promotions were taken into custody by the Chandigarh Police. According to sources in the Police Department, the five were later released by the police.

CULTURE

Alpha Punjabi serial bits on stage
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Jan 10 — It was quite a novel attempt, at least considering the level of involvement of people. Today when vice president, Corporate Communications, Zee, Mr Ranjan Bakshi, discussed the concept of how theatre and television can compliment one another it sounded a little weird, until one saw a part of it coming true on the specially-constructed stage in the banquet hall of hotel Mount View.

The occasion was a preview show of the six latest Alpha Punjabi serials. The interesting part, however, was the element of distinction in today's preview show which had serial artistes acting out scenes from the soaps before the gathering.

Present on the occasion was Vijay Tandon, who plays the key role of Baba Satnam Singh in serial Man Jeete Jagjeet, a religious soap. It features a spoilt Sikh (son of Satnam Singh ) returning to the faith.

Scenes from another serial Preet were enacted by the lead actress Kashish Duggal, who fights a battle against her own blood after she comes to know that her father was involved in the murder of her beloved. Producer Madhulika Sidhu also shared the concept of the serial with the gathering.

Sirnaavan, another serial, is based on the selected stories of well known writers of Punjab, and its telecast is to begin on January 12 with the story by Rakesh Nijhawan. The serial deals with human relationships in all their complexities, and tries to strike a balance between the traditional and modernity. Actors Narender Jattu, Sukhi Pawar and Urvashi Jain brought a part of the serial before the audience. The serial has been produced by Kamlesh Sharma.

Nikki Nuh, which has already been aired on January 8 (8.30 pm) is a reflection of the fallouts of the breaking joint family system. It also highlights the salient aspects of both joint and nuclear families. Produced by Aneesh Dev, the serial has Naresh Suri, Raman Wadhwa, Lata in the star cast.

Sadda School, aired every Thursday at 6.30 pm, portrays simple joys of children who are out to share their lives. The serial produced by Sunil Sood, is an entertainer for all.

Last but not the least is the serial by Rohitaksh, Sharad Thakur and Abhay Kumar. Titled, Keho Jahi Saddi Zindagi, the serial has Arun Bali, Jatinder Bhardwaj, Ramna and Damini in the cast. It is the story of trials and tribulations of a family and it brings out the goodness of a woman.

A rising pop star
by Parbina Rashid

CHANDIGARH, Jan 10 — Melody is his soul and simplicity is his style. Nitin Bali, the rising pop star, has established himself as one of the prominent figure in the pop circle with his assortment of moods and styles in his two albums, “Na Janne” and the latest “Akkhan Nal Ahhkian Milaija.”

This Mumbai based pop artist, who is known for his short-lived marriage with Ruby Bhatia, refuses to talk about the causes of their separation, but admits that marriage with Ruby had helped him at the initial stages of his career. I met my manager, Suresh Thomas, through her,” he said.

A chemistry graduate from Rizvi College, Mumbai, he has had no formal training in music. “It was my love for music that bought me to this field”, said Nitin who feels that it is important to be absolutely in love with one’s profession to be successful in that field. “Money is important, but it is not my ultimate aim”.

Nitin began his career as a production co-ordinator for Zee TV, and made his mark in the glamour world in 1996 when he joined ABCL as a production manager. He embarked on a career as a singer in 1998 with his album “Na janne.” His debut effort which was a mix of melodious romantic songs and bhangra numbers, was well received. In his latest album, he has included three Punjabi songs and five soft romantic Hindi songs.

“Music has one language. That is why I believe in mixing all sort of music — pop, rave, bhangra, bhangra pop, techno and rap — in one cassette” said Nitin. He would not like to be stamped as only a bhangra singer or a pop singer.

To succeed in this field, one has to be more of a performer than a recording artist, said Nitin. With today’s sophisticated equipment, it is easy to modulate one’s voice. If the artist is capable of making his mark through stage performances, only then his survival is certain, he added.