EDUCATION

College students get prizes
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 12
The five-day silver jubilee and Hahnemann Day celebrations of Homoeopathy Medical College and Hospital ended here today with a cultural programme and prize-distribution ceremony on the college premises.

The show began with ‘Saraswati Vandana’, which was followed by dances, songs, duets, parodies and skits. A comic skit, ‘Homoeopathy Ki Maya’, was presented well by students of the college. The chief attractions were ‘giddha’ and ‘bhangra’ performances. Students also presented a Naga dance.

The chief guest, Mr K.A.P Sinha, Joint Finance Secretary of the UT, gave away the prizes. Monica Sharma, Ayesha Pujji and Ritu Jain received prizes for standing first, second and third, respectively, in the First Prof Examination, 1998. Amrit Kaur, Anjali and Sapna Shukla received prizes for standing first, second and third, respectively, in the 1999 examination. Navpreet Kaur Chawla, Ekta Bajaj and Kriti Bhardwaj received prizes for standing first, second and third, respectively, in the 2000 examination.

Monica Sharma, Ayesha Pujji and Ritu Jain received prizes for standing first, second and third, respectively, in the Second Prof examination, 1999. Anjali Mehta, Meenakshi Grover and Nitin Chopra received prizes for standing first, second and third, respectively, in the 2000 examinations. Ayesha Pujji, Monica Sharma and Ravneet Kaur received prizes for standing first, second and third, respectively, in the Third Prof 2000 examinations. Ambika Kapoor, Nidhi Kapur and Aditi Garg received prizes for standing first, second and third, respectively, in the graded degree examinations.

Students also received prizes for their performance in the AIDS-Day competitions. Monica Matta, Ambika Kapoor, Shalini Chugh and Amrit Kaur won prizes in an essay-writing competition, while Gunjan, Ambika Kapoor and Mandeep won prizes in debate. Geetu Aggarwal, Sunil Chopra and Aditi Garg won prizes for slogan writing, while Ambika Kapoor, Gunjan Garg and Monica Matta won prizes for poster making.

Bal Krishan and Neetu Chandana were declared the best athletes in the men’s and women’s sections, respectively. Harsimran, Gopal and Bhupinder Singh were awarded for presenting guest items.

Special prizes were also given to student coordinators, including Rajiinder Singh Saini, Dinesh Kumar, Gurpreet Kaur, Jaspreet Kaur, Anjali Mehta, Sapna Shukla, Krishan Kumar and Nidhi Paul.

Prof C.L. Dhamija, Secretary of the HMCA, urged the UT Joint Finance Secretary to consider the case of grant-in-aid to the college after the Administration had refused take over the college. Mr Sinha said financial management and transparency made a good institute. He said he would try to promote the institution in every possible way. Prof K.K. Dhiman, Principal of the college, presented a vote of thanks.

Entrance test for BSc (honours)
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 12
Admissions to the BSc (honours) course in Biotechnology at Panjab University from the forthcoming session will be conducted on the basis of a common entrance test.

This was said by Mr Ashok Raj Bhandari, Joint Controller of Examination, here today.

Mr Bhandari said that candidates from both streams physics, chemistry and mathematics (PCM) and physics, chemistry and biology (PCB) would be eligible to compete in the written test.

The department is scheduled to have 10 general seats and five in the category of NRIs or NRI-sponsored.

Awareness camps from April 16
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh , April 12
To impart education regarding reproductive health and reproductive tract infections (RTIs) to the youth in villages and colonies of the union territory, the National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) is organising awareness camps from April 16 to 30.

According to information available, this is an extension of a nationwide programme and recently such camps were also organised in the north-eastern parts of the country.

The main aim of the awareness camps is to make the rural youth understand the problem of RTIs, causes of infections and their effective treatment and management and education about the reproductive health.

As many as 18 camps will be organised during this fortnight and will target about 30,000 households and 1.5 lakh population. Camps will also be organised in the industrial areas.

Workshop on career identification
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 12
A two-day workshop on career identification for children between the age group of 13 years to 17 years will begin at the Commonwealth Youth Programme, Asia Centre, Sector 12, tomorrow.

To be organised by the Transforming Individual's Potential to Success (TIPS), the workshop is specifically designed on psychological tests and interpretative procedures, which will enable the parents and children to choose their career.

COURTS

HIGH COURT
Produce detainee in court, SHO told
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 12
On a petition filed by a doctor alleging illegal detention of a former helper by the police, the Punjab and Haryana High Court today directed the Station House Officer of Dharamkot police station in Ferozepore district to produce the alleged detainee in court at the next date of hearing in case she was in his custody.

Mr Justice R.L. Anand of the High Court also issued notice to the SHO. The case will now come up on April 20.

In his petition against the state of Punjab and the SHO, Dr Satinder Bhushan Gupta of Jagraon (Ludhiana) had earlier alleged that 25-year-old Kuldip Kaur was being illegally detained.

Arguing before the court, counsel for the petitioner had contended that the detainee was being kept in custody even though no case had been registered against her.

Bail plea dismissed

Dismissing a bail application filed by a Hoshiarpur district resident accused of hiring killers, Mr Justice S.S. Nijjar of the High Court has observed that the court cannot be lenient towards individuals entering into contracts for committing murder.

Delivering the verdict on the application filed by Jaswinder Singh, alias Billa, the Judge observed: “The allegations against the petitioner is that he had given a contract to certain accused to commit a pre-meditated murder. The petitioner is alleged to have contacted one Gurmail Singh and had agreed to pay Rs 1 lakh to commit the crime. The conspiracy is said to have been hatched in Hoshiarpur jail”.

In his detailed order, the Judge ruled: “In cases where the accused indulge in giving contracts for murder of a particular person, no leniency can be shown by the court. These lawless individuals have to be prevented from committing further violence. The alleged killers had just been released from jail and on the same day they committed the crime.... The allegations against the petitioner are of such a nature that no leniency can be shown. I find that no case is made out for grant of bail. The application is dismissed.”

CULTURE

On a mission to promote Indian theatre
Parbina Rashid

Chandigarh, April 12
In today’s world when everyone seems to be running after electronic media, Namrata Sharma wants to dedicate her life to promoting Indian theatre.

“Theatre is reaching only the elite, but I aim to make it a common man’s medium,” says Namrata, who has recently made her first movie ‘Tandava’. To fulfill her dream, this student of the Panjab University Department of Indian Theatre has already established an association called the Ganganagar Youth Theatrical Society in association with some like-minded persons.

“Tandava, an NFDC production directed by G.B. Singh, is a kaleidoscope of Rajasthani culture, including its dark side,” said Namrata, who is playing a character called Mandira in the film.

Her acting has been appreciated in a number of plays. The Jawahar Kala Kendra of Jaipur gave her the best actress award for her performance in Shambhu Mitra’s play ‘Kanchan Rang’. Namrata now wants to learn technical aspects of producing stage shows.

“The knowledge of backstage production techniques helps an artist improve her perspective,” said Namrata. “To make a play effective, one should have a sound knowledge of light and sound. Men consider women to be inferior technicians and I want to prove them wrong,” she said.

Namrata, who has also got a role in a Doordarshan telefilm, said her association with the PU Department of Indian Theatre helped her polish her acting skills. “To be a good actress, one has to understand social backgrounds and mindsets of people, which requires a lot of study. The department provided me with just the right background,” she said.

To make people appreciate Indian theatre, they need to be trained from an early stage,” said Namrata. With some of her friends, she has already started conducting theatre workshops for children.