The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Chandigarh Stories

A touching performance for cancer affected
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, February 9
‘‘Umeed waqt ka sabse bada sahara hai, jo hosla ho to maujon mein bhi kinara hai’’, recited Prof S.B.S. Mann, former Director, PGI, at a function organised by the Sahayta Cancer Sahyog to mark World Cancer Survivor Day held at the DAV College Sector 10, here today.

Prof Mann was the chief guest at the function, where he also gave the Jeevan Shakti award to Dr Sheel Datta, a thyroid cancer survivor, and Mr Rocky Kapoor, a medulla blastoma patient. The award has been instituted by the Sahayta Cancer Sahyog and is given to survivors leading a meaningful life. He also gave away the Protsahan scholarship to a child Keekar Singh who is visually challenged. The students of St Stephen’s School presented a one-act play depicting the life of a cancer patient and the role of a support group like Sahayta.

Nitya, an 11-year-old Leukemia patient presently undergoing treatment at the PGI, struck the chord with two melodious numbers — count your blessings’ and ‘Across the bridge’. She was accompanied by her sister Kanika, who has been a pillar of support for the little girl fighting cancer. Neha and Karan, children of Sangeeta, a Sahayta patient who died of cancer, gave a dance performance. The two kids are under the rehabilitation programme being run by the society.

Shobha Koser, an eminent kathak dancer, enthralled the audience with her graceful movements. Mrs Sheel Datta, a cancer survivor, related her ordeal of having been detected with the disease and how she faced the truth of the deadliness of it. She said she was ever thankful for the support of her husband and children in fighting the disease. ‘‘I wish I had the support of an organisation like Sahayta at that time’’, she said.

Ms Neelu Tuli, founder Sahayta, informed the audience about the organisation . Stating that he had an old score to settle with cancer, Dr Mann said he had grappled with the disease when some of his relatives were suffering from it. Dr Mann suggested that the person suffering from the disease should never lose hope and fight it till the end.

New hope for the childless
Tribune News Service

SAS Nagar, February 9
A normal 2.9 kg healthy baby boy was born to a local couple at Cheema Hospital here through the Intra-Cytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI) technique, done for male infertility. The baby was conceived at the Gynaecology and Fertility Research Centre of the Chandigarh Medical Centre (CMC).

SPORTS

Sandeep, Dinesh help OIC win
Our Sports Reporter

Chandigarh, February 9
Sandeep and Dinesh Gupta helped the Oriental Insurance Corporation Limited XI win the final match of the third Inter-financial Corporation Cricket Tournament organised by the Punjab Financial Corporation Employees Welfare Association here yesterday. In the final, OIC XI beat the Haryana State Industrial Development Corporation XI by seven wickets.

Brief scores: HSIDC — 169 for eight (Arun 102 n.o., Sandeep 2 for 21, Dinesh 2 for 24); OIC — 172 for three in 26.5 overs (Sandeep Mahajan 65, Dinesh Gupta 32 n.o., Gurbir 30 n.o., Vikas Chauhan 21).

Earlier, in the semi-finals, the OIC XI had defeated United India Insurance XI by two wickets.

Brief scores: UIC — 175 for one (Negi 75 n.o., Ajay Sharma 41 n.o.); OIC — 176 for eight (Dinesh 76, Sandeep 30, Satish Katyal 34), Rakesh Dhawan 4 for 30, Ajay Sharma 2 for 24).

Mr Som Prakash, IAS and Managing Director of the Punjab Financial Corporation, gave away the prizes.

DAV boys

Eight boys of the Sector 8 DAV Senior Secondary School were part of the UT schools handball team that won a bronze medal in the National School Games at Patiala.

These players were Sachin Chaudhary, Narinder Singh, Ramesh, Ravi Kumar, Bunty, Monu Bhidla, Harkirat and Santosh (All DAVSSS-8), besides Kapil, Harpal Singh, Raj Kumar (GMSSS-33), Rajneesh, Vikas (GMSSS-23), Chander (GMSSS-35 ) and Vikram.

Adventure fest ends with Dare Devil stunts
Our Sports Reporter

Chandigarh, February 9
The week-long Annual National Adventure Festival concluded in the Sector 16 Cricket Stadium here today with a colourful closing ceremony that received a rich applause from spectators.

The festival has, now, become quite popular in this part of the country. It is organised by the National Adventure Club headed by a former chief secretary of Haryana, Mr Ram S. Verma. The chief guest for today, Mr Abhey Singh Chautala, president of the Haryana Olympic Association, praised the organisers for holding this event. He also promised financial help for this festival. Mr M.S. Malik, secretary general of the HOA, also spoke on the occasion.

Later, Mr Ram S. Verma said 16 states and regional centres had participated in the festival. The festival events included trekking, rock climbing, skiing, river rafting, parasailing and water sport at various places in the region.

Mr Abhey Chautala honoured three sportspersons on this occasion. They are Gaurav Sharma of Rajasthan, Rakesh Kumar of Haryana and Ramchander Bhardwaj of Uttranchal.

The others who were honoured include Parveen Joshi, Saroj Prajapat, Seema, Bhuvneshwar Bhatti, Manoj Kumar, Ganesh Rajput, Sona Toppo of Jharkhand and Ashwani Ghatge of Maharashtra.

Spectator got to see 55 Dare Devils of the Border Security Force (BSF) in action, who mesmerised all with their motor cycle stunts like fire jump and the other acts.

Schoolchildren of Panchkula presented a colourful cultural programme. This year, the Chandigarh Marathon, a regular event for the past two years, however, was not held.