EDUCATION

European experts to visit PAU
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, April 17
Punjab Agricultural University has established a modern information technology laboratory for postgraduate diploma in information technology. The laboratory will be inaugurated by Mr Fraz Fischler, European Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Development, Fisheries during his visit to PAU on April 18. The laboratory has been established under the initiative of European Union Project ‘The cross-cultural innovation network project’.

By extending the university network to entrepreneurs and entrepreneurial organisation both with the EU and India, the project provides a model for dynamic two-way collaborations for enhancing cross-cultural presence in the two continents.

The project is working towards establishing the foundation of a virtual university for long-term sustainable cross-cultural collaboration in education, research and entrepreneurship. The visual network will consist of a networked faculty, distributed knowledge database including a dedicated website, e-mail groups, new groups, links with relevant websites, and electronic newsletters. It will complement academic and entrepreneurial networks and will provide a distance learning and knowledge transfer resource, thereby contributing to the sustainability of existing collaborations and providing new possibilities of practical cooperation between academics, entrepreneurs and other social actors.

Schools to be upgraded
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana April 17
The Punjab Assembly Deputy Speaker, Mr Sat Pal Gosain, paid rich tributes to Dr B.R. Ambedkar at a function organised in New Subhash Nagar here.

He said Dr Ambedkar had made great contribution for the emancipation of the Dalit community.

Responding to demands of area residents, Mr Gosain announced the upgradation of Government Primary School to middle standard, while the high school was upgraded to senior secondary level. The Deputy Speaker also announced a grant of Rs 1 lakh for the building of middle school.

Prominent among those present on the occasion were Mr Kamal Chatley, president, Mr Sanjeev Malhotra, press secretary, Bhartiya Janata Yuva Morcha, Mr Rajinder Bhandari, general secretary, District BJP, Mr Kewal Baweja and Mr Raman Soni.

Meanwhile, Mr Kamal Chatley, president, Bhartiya Janata Yuva Morcha, inaugurated the Jai Ma Jagdambey Club and the Weight Lifting Club in Indira Colony here. Speaking on the occasion, Mr Chatley exhorted the youth to stay away from intoxicating substances and to adopt activities like weight-lifting and body building. The BJYM, he added, would make available the necessary equipment and infra structure to the club for imparting necessary training to the youth.

Mr Sanjeev Malhotra, press secretary, BJYM, and Mr Rajneesh Dhiman also addressed the gathering on the occasion. 

Students seek concessional bus passes
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, April 17
Students of the Desh Bhagat Ayurvedic College, Amloh Road, have appealed to the authorities of the Department of Transport, Department of Finance, Department of Higher Education, Department of Medical Education and Research, and Directorate of Ayurveda at Baba Farid University of Health Sciences to issue concessional bus passes to them.

In a written appeal, the students have said the authorities of the Public Road Transport Corporation and the Punjab Roadways be told to issue concessional travelling bus passes with immediate effect. Even though the facility has been granted to the students of schools, colleges and technical institutes, they were being denied the same, they said.

The students said the Director of the State Transport Department had told the directors of all the departments of education that the PRTC and Punjab Roadways authorities shall grant this facility only after getting the consent of the director of the concerned department in writing.

The students said now that all medical, dental, ayurvedic and homoeopathic colleges of Punjab were under the control of Director, Research and Medical Education, Punjab, no provision in the budget of the department had been in this regard as a result of which they were made to suffer.

CULTURE

‘Yudhisthar and Draupadi’ to be staged
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana April 17
The Ludhiana Sanskritik Samagam (LSS) is organising an exhilarating performance of “Yudhisthar and Draupadi”, a play performed by Shovana Narayan (Padmashri) and Sunit Tandon and a solo kathak performance by Shovana Narayan at Guru Nanak Dev Bhavan, Ludhiana on Saturday.

Shovana Narayan, perhaps India’s most renowned kathak dancer, and Sunit Tandon, well-known theatre personality, combine to produce a most riveting enactment of Pavan K. Varma’s critically acclaimed book : ‘Yudhisthar and Draupadi.’

‘Yudhisthar and Draupadi’ play is based on the long poem written by Mr Pavan K. Varma, the theme breathes of passions and dilemmas between Draupadi and her husband Yudhisthar. We follow Yudhisthar to the still pool of death where, by answering philosophic questions posed by the Yaksha, in reality his father, Dharma, Kaunteya brings back his Pandav brothers to life. The primary concern, however, is the trouble between a woman, Draupadi, and a man, her ‘first’ husband Yudhishtar. Arjun won her, Dharamputra gambled her away. But Arjun had Subhadra and Bhim, Hidimba. Who did Yudhisthar have? No one but Panchali. But how did Draupadi think of Kaunteya? Ultimately, Varma’s book is about a man and woman, and their interaction.

Shovana Narayan will also be presenting a classical example of a true Kathak. A staunch believer in the Gurukul-Parampara, Shovana imparts not only the details of Kathak but also her own sensitivities and message of love, righteous practices and trust, which makes an artists humane.

Shovana Narayan, is a recognised legend in the annals of dance today and a synonymous with Kathak giving it new dimensions.

She is perhaps the first dancer to have conceived and brought out a dance video on the philosophy and legend of the immortal Khajuraho temples entitled ‘Dance of the temples’. Again, she was the first dancer to have presented a dance ballet ‘Satya Ki Khoj’ on the works of Guru Gobind Singh Ji in 1999 during the Tri-centenary celebration of the Khalsa Panth and on the works of 13 women saint-poets (Bhagtans’) from all parts of India in 1997.

Literature of the Punjabi diaspora
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, April 17
There is new sub-sect of literature in the making. Literature by the Punjabi diaspora. Most of these writers are settled in Canada, the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Denmark and other countries. They are producing poetry, fiction (short stories and novels) and even plays, which are not only read by Punjabi immigrants, but also by others abroad and in India as well.

While other countries have a sizeable presence of some good litterateurs, most of these writers are settled in Canada. They write both in Punjabi and English, and it is the “Punjabi theme” which runs through their major and minor works.

The list of writers is long. However, poets like Harbhajan Mangat, Harmit Deewana, Omkar Preet, Giani Karnail Singh, Bhupinder Dulay, Kulwinder Khera and Harmohanjit Singh Pandher and story writers like Amanpal Sara, Pritpal Singh Bindra, Major Mangat and others, have remained quite active on the literary scene and kept Punjabi culture alive.

While most of them write in Punjabi, there are some like, Pritpal Singh Bindra and young Harmohanjit Singh Pandher, who have been writing in English. English writing has the twin impact of getting the readership of their own community settled in those countries, while also being able to put their point across to others.

However, there are some common dominant themes in these compositions. Like alienation, the problems of migration and settlement. The influence of Operation Bluestar and the Delhi riots seems to affect their writings.

This is probably best reflected in Harmohanjit Singh’s recently released “Sugar, Steel and the Maple Leaf”. One couplet of the poem “Delhi’s Four Darkest Days”, reveals the wounds of the psyche, “After four days of state-sponsored slaughter, Even God’s Eyes had run dry of water”.

The everlasting theme of Punjabi culture, replete with rural life is also dominant. While immigration to Canada may have brought affluence to the Punjabis, yet nostalgia for Punjab remains. Even those who are born and brought up in Canada or other countries also long to visit Punjab and want to have a feel of life here. Not everyone can do that and “they live life in Punjab through the literature”, as it gives them a cathartic experience. Because it is in this literature they see the reflection of their own plight and longings. 

SPORT

Hockey trials by Sports Dept
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, April 17
The craze for hockey among youngsters is once again picking up, as was witnessed here at the PAU astroturf on Tuesday, where the state Sports Department was conducting trials for their three centres, namely Surjit Hockey Academy and the Sports School in Jalandhar and the Speed Fund Academy in Ludhiana to enroll them. It is at these centres that the department provides all the facilities to the young so that they could be well groomed in the game.

The PAU astroturf was crowded with young players in their sports outfits this morning. As many as 284 hockey enthusiasts of different age groups with guardians in tow, were there to grab the opportunity. The children had come from different parts of the state. The largest group of boys had come from Amritsar, followed by those from the Gurdaspur area.

Players in the age group of 12 years to 14 years would be selected for Surjit Hockey Academy while those falling in 14 years to 17 years group would do their training at the Sports School Academy. The last segment would improve their skills at the Speed Fund academy.

Olympian Nisha Sharma and Mr Baljit Singh Saini, both hockey coaches from Jalandhar and Ropar, would shortlist players in the under-14 class. Ms Sharma disclosed that we would test the level of speed, skill, sense and stamina in boys and the selection would be strictly on a merit-basis. Mohanjeet Singh and Gurdev Singh would select players for the Sports School, Jalandhar, while Jhilman Singh Mann and Sukhbhinder Singh would identify the deserving candidates for the Speed Fund Academy, Ludhiana. The trials would be completed tomorrow evening.