The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

EDUCATION

Cyber varsity being set up
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, July 2
A cyber university is being set up under the Indo-French cooperation. This will make “knowledge available to all students across the world”. This was stated by Mr S. K. Tripathi, Secretary, Department of Secondary and Higher Education, Ministry of HRD, at a reception organised here to honour him. He was referring to the globalisation of education.

Speaking at the reception, Mr D. N. Malhotra, president emeritus of the Federation of Indian Publishers, said that one of the best ways to strengthen the social fabric was to inculcate the habit of reading among our citizens, particularly among the younger generation. This would not only lead to the enlightenment of our population but also make them capable of playing a useful role in the progress of our nation.

India had no dearth of talented authors and intellectuals who could write books, he said.

The publishing community was ready to play their role in making books available in different languages, Mr Malhotra said. It was remarkable that our publishing industry was producing over 60,000 books a year.

Mr Tripathi responded by saying that the target was to make secondary education compulsory through legislation. He expressed full faith in the publishing industry of the country, which was one of the largest in the world. He extended all help in their endeavour and lauded the efforts of the federation. Commending the services of the publishers, he said, “You are well aware of your responsibility”.

Eminent authors, artistes, bureaucrats and academics were present on the occasion.

Bihar threatens to take DU to court on seats
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, July 2
The Bihar Government has threatened to take the Delhi University to court if its colleges fail to provide “sufficient time” to students from the state to take admission.

“A large number of students, who have already been selected for admissions in various colleges of the university, are being unnecessarily harassed by college managements,” the Resident Commissioner of Bihar, Mr A. B. Prasad said today.

In a letter to the vice-chancellor of the Delhi University, Prof Deepak Nayyar, Mr Prasad said the university colleges had granted “just a day or two” for the authentication of their mark sheets by the office of the Resident Commissioner of the Bihar Government.

”Since the results are available on the website, the college principals should be advised to verify the marks directly from the internet,” he said in a statement.

Mr Prasad pointed out that the authentication of mark sheets by the Resident Commissioner’s office could only be done on getting a report from the Bihar Intermediate Education Council at Patna.

As such, the colleges of the Delhi University should be advised to allow provisional admission to such students.

”Alternatively, they should be given sufficient time to procure the authentication of their mark sheets,” he said in his letter to Prof Nayyar The Resident Commissioner said more than 1,000 students from the state would fail to get admissions if the Delhi University went ahead with its insistence on the authentication of their mark sheets.

CBSE compartment exams from July 29

New Delhi, July 2
The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) will conduct examination from the 29th of this month for those who have been placed under compartment in the class X and XII results declared by the board in May 2002.

According to the CBSE, the exams for all subjects of class XII will be conducted on the 29th while for the class X students, the exams will begin on the 29th and will continue till the 6th of August. This year the national Capital ranked high among the number of compartment cases. Out of a total of 88,650 students who took the class X exam and have been placed under compartment, Delhi accounted for a whopping 34.68 per cent. In class XII, the number of students who have been placed under compartment is 19,291, which works out to 14.76 per cent. The results of these compartment exams are likely to be declared in the first week of September. OC

CULTURE

GLITZ & GLAMOUR
Why not toss a salad and detoxify the system
Smriti Kak

You are what you eat’, proclaims the Perfect 10, a beauty and health clinic that believes in a holistic approach towards perfect health. The health clinic recently invited celebrated culinary expert Jiggs Kalra for a special session, ‘An all salads menu’.

Culinary expert Jiggs Kalra with the owner of Perfect 10, Ms Neena Gulati.

The aim was to rediscover the goodness of fresh veggies and fruits and to create the awareness that taste buds can be tickled with salads made from healthy ingredients.

So, Jiggs dug deep into a treasure trove of his exclusive recipes to rustle up mouth-watering salads. An over the counter fare that was used effectively by the proprietor, Nina Gulati, to buttress her dictats that healthy food means healthy bodies. According to her, uncooked, but tasty meals work as the ultimate de-toxicants.

Says Nina Gulati,“Jiggs Kalra is a master of food whom I have always admired. Whilst planning my clinic, I had the wonderful opportunity of meeting him and during the course of our conversation, Jiggs and I thought of this idea of re-introducing the sheer pleasure of a delicious salad fare that not just replaces a heavy Indian meal but also provides energy to rejuvenate you to a healthy, happy state.”

So, Jiggs did what he is best at. He listed one’s choice of ingredients and dressing. From whipped yogurt to a clear dressing of mustard with vinegar or even a spicy South Indian peppered curd. The chef ensured that the vegetables were steamed and the dressing was minus the sinful cheesy dips, salad oils and that whipped cream and there were no deep fried croquettes topping the fare.

The chef de cuisine had this to say today, “My personal favorite are South Indian salads that largely comprise of stir-fry vegetables, spicy curd dips and the spiky taste of sunflower.”

Nina adds, “We at Perfect 10 strongly propagate an uncooked meal that helps flush out the toxins and bring the glow back. I tell my clients to try and eat as many salads as possible and this salad counter just brings in the excitement of salad making, which if not creatively prepared may become a drab.”

Point noted, Nina. One wonders if it is this uncooked fare that models (read anorexic models) thrive on and is responsible for the way they look. After all, we were told you are what you eat.

Affordable Jewels

Anu’s trendy and reasonably priced jewels.

Most of the jewellery makers profess that you have to pay a price for acquiring an exquisite piece of jewellery. But here is a designer who proclaims otherwise. Anu, Delhi-based designer, is all set to negate the notion that exquisite designer jewellery is expensive.

Anu with her studio ‘Jewels by Anu’ has created an array of “trendy and reasonably priced” designer jewellery. The designer claims that the jewellery has been designed keeping in view the taste of the suave urban woman. She has used semi-precious and precious stones to help her pieces look attractive in terms of design as well as price.

At her studio, the range of jewelley starts from Rs 700. A self-trained designer with no formal training in design, Anu has plans of participating in shows in and around the Capital to “create more awareness about designer jewellery”.

We certainly know a bit, but what we certainly need to learn is whether designer jewellery can be affordable.

Healthy nails

With hands being an integral part of your hygiene, dirty and chipped nails are a put off. So, it is imperative that we keep the nails clean and well trimmed. Just as broken nails are unpleasant to the eye, nails that threaten to turn into lethal pincers too can send the wrong message.

Chambor French manicure kit from the cosmetic major.

Apart from beauty, unkempt nails are also a health hazard. Bacteria and dirt that gets stuck into nails makes them a carrier of diseases.

Beauticians have of late begun creating innovative designs for nails. Gone are the days of the good old nail paint, there are crystals and paints to enhance the beauty of your hands. For those who can afford it, there are gems that can be pasted on the nails to add lustre.

Of late, the nail polish makers have started flooding markets with their Vitamin E enriched paints, and they claim that this save the nails from damage. Cosmetic major, Chambor, has gone a step ahead and launched the Chambor French manicure kit. The kit is aimed at helping people get the healthy dewy shine on their nails sitting at home. The kit comes with a set of instructions to help the ladies get the desired look.

Meanwhile, for those who wish to work a little bit of magic on their nails, Lippi Lal, training manager and make-up consultant has some tips to offer.

Coat freshly washed hands in a generous layer of almond oil or a regular lotion. Then wrap each hand in a warm towel and relax for 15 minutes.

Unwrap your hands and gently push back the cuticles, which will have softened by the oils. Use a rubber hoof or a cuticle stone rather than cuticle clipper, which can nick the skin and leave it open to infection.

Now, file your nails and keep moving in clean, one directional sweeps across your nails rather than using sawing movements. Avoid metal files, which can drag if not handled carefully. Instead, use a smooth, fine emery board that will slide easily.

If you want a shiny finish but do not have the time to paint your nails, simply buff them with a nail buff, which will create a natural glossy look.

And the most important tip of all, remember to wash your hands with soap every now and then.

Fashion show

The students of the National Institute of Fashion Design (NIFD), Hauz Khas, organised its annual fashion show named ‘Sukriti 2002’ at Ashok Hotel. The students had a chance to unveil their creations before an audience that comprised designers and industry persons.

A model sets the ramp afire at ‘Shruti 2002’, organised by the NIFD, Hauz Khas.

There were 21 sequences consisting of various themes and categories at the show. With themes such as wine, vintage or shadow, the students let their imagination loose and with the aid of fabrics like brocade, silk, chiffon and georgette and created what they see as fashion for tomorrow.

The collection included hi-fashion as well as ready-to-wear garments. Some of the models, who walked the ramp in these creations were Aparna Kumar, Poonam Nath, Laxmi Rana and Divya Jaitley. There were many claimants for the four best awards, Best Jury Awards, Best Innovative Collection, Technical Excellence and Most Commercial Collection.

The show was choreographed by Ketan Bhatia and the make-up and hairdo were taken care of by Jawed Habib of the Habib’s fame. The judges included Leena Singh, Niki Mahajan and businessman Rashmi Paliwal of Baloons.

Among those present were Catherine de Montferrand, wife of the French Ambassador, M. Nkoana Mashabane, South African High Commissioner’s wife, the Austrian High Commissioner, Herbert Traxl, Peter H Sutherland the Canadian High Commissioner, Vijay Goel, and Tarlochan Singh , Vice-Chairman, Minority Commission.

The Best Jury Award went to Sunit Rana, who won a 5-year subscription of Images. Manoj Mathew and Sudhakar Kintala bagged the Best Innovative Collection Award. The second prize was won by Neeraj Pandey. For Technical Excellence, Namita Gupta won the cash prize.

The most Commercial Collection was the Wonderland by Mansi Goel, Sonia Gupta, Amit Talwar, Vinay Kumar, Vinny Kalra, Aman Ameer, Neha Gupta, Rajanan Jha, Abhay Kumar and Ridhima Ajmani.