SCHOOL BUZZ
Manav Sthali horse show wins hands down
Smriti Kak

There was no cracking whip, just an urging ‘up’ and an occasional pat and the black beauty soared into the winds. No these lines are not from The Black Beauty, but an eyewitness account.

The grounds of Bhatnagar International School, Vasant Kunj, resounded with neighs and the clattering of the hooves as it played host to a Horse Show on February 2. Organised by the Manav Sthali Organisation, the Horse Show drew children from the age group of four to 14.

Galloping and cantering, the students had the audience asking for an encore. There were some nervous faces and a freak accident, but the elan with which the riders claimed their share of the field, had everyone put their hands together.

The young riders gave a display of equilibrium, steadiness, uniformity, spacing and proper timing on mastered steeds. Some of the events that had the adrenaline pumping were the Hurdles, Aerobics on Horse back, Rotation and revolution and scarf-pegging.

The emcee, a student of the school, added to the excitement with his fast-paced commentary. Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Minister, Ms Shiela Dikshit, who was the Chief Guest, congratulated the organisers on putting up a splendid show, which is the first of its kind.

The Minister of State for Education, Mr Raj Kumar Chauhan, was the guest of honour and felicitated the efforts made to ensure the overall development of kids. Speaking on the need for quality education, he went on to add that private and public schools must lend a helping hand in the Government’s effort to provide quality education to the children studying in the government school.

The show was non-competitive and all the participants from over nine schools were felicitated on their performance. The Founder of the Manav Sthali Organisation, Dr V K Bhatnagar, laid stress on the imbibing resistance and developing a strong physique so as to be able to counter challenges. He said that horse riding helps tremendously in preparing a strong personality.

Quiz competition

Sadhu Vaswani International School for Girls is hosting the semi-final and final rounds of the CBSE Heritage India Quiz on the 4th and 5th of this month.

The national semi-finals will feature 16 teams consisting of three participants. The national finals will be held on the 5th and will feature four teams. Quiz Master Simanata Mohanty will conduct the show.

Ryan International

The Ryan Group of Schools presenting a cultural programme in the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.

Ryan International School, Trans-Yammuna, celebrated the completion of a decade of its presence in the world of education. Run by the St. Xavier Education Trust and headed by Dr A F Pinto, the school, which is the first-ever to be established by the Ryan Group of Schools, presented a cultural programme in the Jawaharlal Nehru stadium.

The event comprised well-orchestrated numbers performed by Ryanities from age four to 14. Drills and a march past performed by the students added to the quality of the programme.

The Director General, CRPF, Dr Trinath Mishra, Former Transport Minister, Mr Jagdish Tytler, Jt. Commissioner (crime), Dr K K Paul, Chief Patron, Judo Council of Delhi, Mr Ravinder Yadav were present on the occasion.

Some of the students who were felicitated on their performance as beat cadets are Rishab Arora and Tanmay Tyagi. The best athletes in the mini category were Ishan Sharma and Mahima Jain. In the sub junior and junior section, the best athletes are Vikram Sadhu, Shivani Gupta, Sahil Dhal and Shruti Tayal.

The students and teachers of Sangeet Niketan presenting a classical dance show.

Sangeet Niketan

Preet Vihar-based Sangeet Niketan celebrated its 51st anniversary at the LTG Auditorium.

The students along with the teachers presented a programme of classical music and dances. The Honorary Principal of the Institute, Chakravorty Ram Mohan Rao, inaugurated the event. Eminent Jal Tarang artist Gulab Rao inaugurated the institute in 1950.

Mashaal

Shakarpur-based group of social and cultural movement “Mashaal”, organised a mega-dance contest for schoolchildren at Hindi Bhawan.

The Health Minister, Dr A K Walia, inaugurated the programme. The jury awarded three of the 55 participants for their performance. Dr Walia said that an auditorium for promoting such activities would be set up soon in East Delhi.

For bibliophiles

Jamila Gavin has announced the launch of her 12 children’s titles in India. In a tie-up with Egmont Imagination India Ltd., Gavin’s acclaimed works will now be available in the country. Some of the books that young readers can look forward to are: The Track of the Wind, Coram Boy, Grandpa’s Indian Summer and The Eye of the Horse. So save your pocket money or request your librarian to fetch you these popular books.

Court restrains JNU on appointments 
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, February 3
Once the Left bastion, Jawaharlal Nehru University is under attack from eight physically challenged part- time employees, who have been working there for a period of five to 11 years. They have moved the court seeking regularisation of service and the Delhi High Court has restrained the University from making any appointment to class III and IV posts till the University replies to the petition.

Issuing notices to the University and the Union Human Resource Development Ministry, the court, while fixing next hearing on May 13, said, till filing of the affidavit by the respondents, no fresh appointments in the class three and four categories be made.

The orthopaedically-challenged employees, in a joint writ petition said they had been working in the university for a period ranging five to 11 years but had not been regularised till date.

Though the JNU Executive Council in 1978 had passed a resolution to implement the Centre’s order for reserving three per cent posts for disabled persons, the University in February last year, informed an association of disabled employees that their demand for regularisation has not been acceded to.

Petitioner’s counsel, Aurobindo Ghosh, told the court that the JNU Executive Council had passed another resolution on November 29 1999 stating that reservation to disabled persons would be implemented from that date, not from 1978, when the earlier resolution was passed to this effect. Seeking the quashing of the 1999 resolution on the ground that it was “defective”, the petitioners said JNU had put a further rider regarding the reservation by subjecting it to a roaster scheme.