EDUCATION

Institute to churn out telecom manpower
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, September 19
Amity Institute of Telecom Technology and Management (AITTM), a premier institute bridging the gulf between availability and demand for skilled human resources in the burgeoning telecom industry, was inaugurated by the Ritnand Balved Education Foundation in Noida. Mr Vinod Vaish, chairman, Telecom Commission, and secretary, Department of Telecom, Mr Prithipal Singh, chairman and managing director, Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd, and Mr Pradeep Gupta, MD, Cyber Media, addressed the first batch of students of the institute during the inauguration.

Policy-makers and captains of the industry provided an insight into the telecom industry in terms of infrastructure and network, government policies, regulatory environment and the latest developments affecting those students involved with this sector.

The institute has been established to fill the growing need for trained manpower for the fast escalating telecom industry, which is expected to attract investment to the tune of $ 15-20 billion.

With the establishment of the first educational portal that trains engineers with the requisite skills needed in the telecom industry, a new chapter has been added in the effort to fill up the demand for skilled human resources in the burgeoning telecom industry.

Detailing the potential in the segment, Mr Vaish said: "India has been protected against the telecom crash in the Western countries on account of our cautious advance into the field. By staying in step with the increase in demand, we have emerged unscathed and stronger."

"The e-culture has entered every sphere owing to the transparency it brings with it. Telecom is indeed a great area of promise," he added.

Mr Gupta said the industry which was pegged at Rs 50,000 crore in 2001 is stipulated to grow to Rs 122,000 crore by the year 2006. He said that there is a visible shift from voice to data, but added that India would take five years to catch up with the rest of the world.

CULTURE

ARTSCAPE
A modest memorial to dreams that lie in debris
Garima Pant

HEYDAY. Kenneth Jarecke

It was a time for remembrance and paying tributes to the unsung heroes and those who had lost their near and dear ones in the most ghastly attack on humanity, which took place on September 11, 2001, in New York. A photographic exhibition titled ‘ELEVEN – Witnessing the World Trade Center 1974 2001’, is on at The Open Palm Court, India Habitat Centre, till September 22, depicting the World Trade Centre (WTC) towers in their crowning glory and as a mass of debris. It is a visual composition honouring the memory and the social and cultural significance of the twin towers. Each photograph makes the onlooker stop and ponder over what it is trying to communicate. It is also a tribute to the hundreds and thousands of rescue operators who risked their lives to save the entrapped denizens of the twin towers. As Robert Pledge puts it: “The power of those little squares and rectangles is boundless. There is one for each of the towers hundred and ten stories. We felt a need to add our own ‘small’ voices to the broader testimonial of the New York, American and international Communities. Hence, this modest paper memorial.”

Harvest 2002

An exhibition of paintings titled ‘Harvest 2002’ by various eminent artists from all over India is on display in the Capital. The exhibition is in three parts and will be held in three different venues. The catalogue, which also goes by the name of ‘Harvest 2002,’ was launched by Arushi Arts, headed by Mrs Payal Kapur. It features 170 artworks from 65 artists and it aims to promote Indian contemporary art in this country and overseas. Harvest 2002 has been envisaged as a catalogue and exhibition to sell Indian art directly to buyers in India and overseas. Says Mrs Payal Kapur, “Lovers of Indian art living abroad have to rely on expensive art auctions or a rare trip back home to hang the work of their favorite artists in their homes. Harvest 2002 brings handpicked art to their doorsteps making it possible for them to acquire a painting sitting at home. That too at a price they would have paid if they traveled all those miles to India.”

Apart from some rare works of leading artists like Jamini Roy, Anjolie Ela Menon, M.F. Hussain etc, this catalogue also patronises and promotes young talents by giving them a platform to present their works overseas alongside their seniors. The second part of ‘Arushi Arts’ was held on September 17 in Greater Kailash Part I. And the next part will be held in the same venue on September 29. Next stop will be the Academy of Fine Arts & Literature at the Siri Fort Institutional area from September 21 to 25. And finally, it will continue in the Arushi Arts Studio from September 26 to October 8.

People’s history

It is a remarkable story which transplants the reader into a bygone era. The book titled, ‘I still remember a small town in Punjab’ by O P Narula, brings alive the character of Opana, who lived in a small town called Daska in undivided Punjab. His village of Kandan Sian had its own special character, fairs, festivals and seasonal practices, never allowing for a dull moment. The muggy summer nights, for example, which saw the boys carrying their cots in the fields and spending the night there; the boys apparently had their bit of fun out in the fields.

Opana’s story takes us through his land and landscapes, which nurtured an effervescent culture. People of varied castes and communities lived together like never before in perfect peace and harmony. That kind of a life is unimaginable in today’s divided world and is a part of nostalgia. The simple yet powerful narrative, thus, has great value. As mentioned in the book, ‘‘It is a glimpse into the text of a people’s history.’’ Opana recalls and relives his beautiful days and nights spent in the land which became Pakistan. It is a beautifully woven narrative and spellbinds the reader, ferrying them into the village of Kandan Sian. One can relate to the happenings there and experience the family’s joys, sorrows and pains, especially the travails of partitions

Poetry and painting

It was an evening graced by top politicians and socialites and provided the perfect backdrop for the release of two of Mrs Sheila Gujral’s books, namely, ‘Sparks’ and ‘Two dark cinders’. The chief guest of the evening was Dr Karan Singh who released the two collections of poetry. Immaculate and punctual to the core, unlike most politicians of the day, Dr Karan Singh referred to the gathering as a ‘creative symbiosis between poetry and painting’. He highlighted Mrs. Gujaral’s significant role in her family and the society and termed the books as a wide spectrum of image and emotions. He read two of her poems, ‘Summer’ and ‘Across the gulf,’ which touched the heart of one and all. The Sanskrit prayer, recited by him at the end of his speech, left a lasting imprint. Among others present on the occasion were Mr. I.K. Gujaral, Mrs. Usha Narayanan, Mrs. Najma Heptullah, Mr. & Mrs. Satish Gujaral.

‘Sparks’ has been illuminated by an upcoming and very promising young artist, Manav Gupta. He has very skillfully given expression to the poetry in his paintings. As Mrs. Gujaral pointed out, Manav had made ‘‘Sparks more spiky’’. ‘Two dark cinders’ is a revised edition and its cover has been given a very distinct look by the eminent painter Satish Gujaral. Mr. Keshav Malik, a well-known art critic and poet, who was also present, had acted as a bridge in bringing the poetry and the art together. The books are a result of collaboration between the Poetry Society of India and the Allied Publishers. Mrs. Gujaral has also done pioneering work in the field of social and cultural welfare. She writes in Hindi, English and Urdu and has to her credit 27 books of poetry, short stories etc. She is a versatile, sensitive and prolific writer whose head and heart work in tandem. She has explored a vast range of subjects and given voice to many issues through her simple and harmonious style of writing.