Heritage Group to begin its chapter here
Abhay Jain

Gurgaon, January 28
The city’s first day boarding school will be opened here from this academic session by the famous Heritage School Group which runs its school in Vasant Kunj, Delhi. The students of this boarding school would leave in the evening and keep their bags in the school itself, informed Mr Manit Jain, proprietor of the school to the mediapersons here today.

The homework and a number of curriculum activities would be completed on the school premises itself, revealed Mr Jain.

Spread in an area of 22 acre, the school offers an integrated education of high quality to make professionally successful, socially responsible, strong, confident and independent individuals, claimed Mr Jain.

He added that the school believes in producing good human beings.

Having the concept of ‘school-cum-home’, the school endeavours to provide ample opportunity to each student to do his best. Its aim is to help students identify their strengths and talents.

The school encourages students to participate in the spectrum of activities like fine arts, literary and scientific activities, games, sports, hobby club, orchestra, sculpture, sketching, literary clubs, puppetry, taekwondo, calligraphy, etc, said Mr Jain. All school rooms and the transportation facilities are equipped with the air-conditioners, informed Mr Shyamal, principal of the school.

He added that the ratio of the students and the teachers would be 12 to 1 in the school so that maximum attention is paid to every student.

The teacher would develop personal relations with the students, added the principal. Education is essentially a joyous process, and learning is never a chore, the principal said. Each child from the nursery onwards meditates regularly. This form of transcendental meditation along with various breathing and relaxing exercises has a beneficial effect on the body and goes a long way in helping the children control negative emotions like anxiety and anger, said Mr Shyamal.

CBSE marking scheme put out
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, January 28
To aid students and teachers in comprehending topics like weightage of marks and syllabus, the Central Board of Secondary Examinations (CBSE) has devised a comprehensive marking scheme for the class X and XII students. According to a release issued by the board, the marking scheme gives an opportunity to the teachers and students to go through the syllabus and weightage for subjects carefully, comprehend the questions, note down difficulties and examine the questions in conjunction with the marking scheme.

COURTS

Court order upheld: Duo convicted of 
making false statement
Jatinder Sharma

Rohtak, January 28
Holding Amrik Singh and Rajwant Singh of Bohra village in Ratia tehsil guilty of making false statement in judicial proceedings, the Additional Session Judge, Dr Shiva Sharma, has confirmed the sentence awarded to them by the Chief Judicial Magistrate on February 5, 2001.

The Chief Judicial Magistrate had convicted both Amrik Singh and Rajwant Singh under Section 193/ 196 IPC and sentenced them to undergo rigorous imprisonment for seven years and also to pay a sum of Rs 1250 each under Section 193 IPC and similar substantive sentence of imprisonment and fine under Section 196IPC and in case of non-payment of fine, to undergo further imprisonment for six months for each count. The sentences were directed to run concurrently.

The criminal complaint against them was filed by the registrar (general) pursuant to the directions issued by a division bench of the Punjab and Haryana Court comprising Justice V K Bali and Justice P K Jain while deciding on a criminal appeal.

The High Court had observed that from the depositions made by Amrik Singh and Rajwant Singh, both prosecution witnesses, “we are quite convinced that they are guilty of giving false evidence. They were legally bound by an oath to state the truth, and yet, they made a false statement and knew that they were making a false statement”.

Dissatisfied with the judgement of the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Amrik Singh and Rajwant Singh filed an appeal in the court of Additional Session Judge, Dr Shiva Sharma. The counsel for the accused-appellants argued that the appellants were not afforded any opportunity of being heard by the High Court before ordering their prosecution.

Developing his arguments further, he contended that there was a long gap of five years in making the statements before the court in cases against Satish Kumar and Ishwar Dayal, and therefore, difference or lapse in the statement was on account of time gap and was not attributable to any intention.

Upholding the order of the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Dr Shiva Sharma said, “It is clearly made out that the accused had changed their statements while appearing as witnesses in the second session trial only with a view to helping Ishwar Dayal, alias Bittu. Apparently false statements were made corruptly to be used as true and genuine evidence.”

Therefore, Dr Sharma said, “I hold that the trial court rightly held the accused guilty and convicted them of the commission of offence.”

Rejecting the plea for a lenient view in awarding sentence, Dr Sharma said that “such grave and downgraded was the conduct of the accused that they did not hesitate a bit in helping the killer of their own saviour”.

Cousins get life term for murder
Our Correspondent

Rohtak, January 28
The Additional District and Sessions Judge, Mr Vinod Jain, sentenced two cousins of Bohar village to undergo life imprisonment for murdering a youth of the same village in July last year.

In the judgement delivered today, both the convicts were also ordered to pay a fine of Rs 5,000 and, in case of default of payment of fine, they would have to undergo additional imprisonment for 3 years.

According to the prosecution, Mr Ravinder Pratap, alias Sonu, was allegedly stabbed to death by Narender and Sunil of Bohar village when the former was going to ease himself at around 5.30 am on July 17 last year. It was alleged that the assailants eliminated the victim as the latter was suspected to be having relation with a sister of Narender.

Narender had reportedly seen the duo talking to each other which infuriated him and he decided to take the extreme step.

The police had registered a case following a complaint by Mr Phool Kumar, father of the deceased under Section 302 and 34 of the IPC. The assailants were arrested just after two days of the incident and produced in the court.

CULTURE

An exhibition that promotes designer handicrafts
Nalini Ranjan

New Delhi, January 28
The Council of Handicrafts Development Corporation (COHANDS) in association with the Development Commissioner (Handicrafts), Ministry of Textiles, has come up with a unique exhibition, ‘Siddha Hasta,’ of designer handicrafts, including innovative cane and bamboo products, at India Habitat Centre.

A good number of designer handicraft products from different parts of the country have been displayed. Items in terracotta, cane and bamboo, wrought iron, jute, meenakari from Rajasthan, blue pottery, miniature painting etc find pride of place here.

For the first time, some internationally reputed designers like Anjali Wakankar, Sanjib Chaterjee, Bela Sanghavi, Dr Sneh Gangal and Akshay Shringesh have taken part in this exhibition. Outlining the main purpose behind holding this event, the Executive Director, of COHANDS, Mr V. P. Thakur, said such an event would help the artisans in enhancing their entrepreneurial skills and productivity and increasing their income through technical upgradation. He said it was the need of the hour to undertake such events for promoting Indian handicrafts in the domestic and international markets.

GLITZ & GLAMOUR
The ‘revivalist’ whose art leaves an 
indelible impression 
Smriti Kak

The exquisite work of etching on gold is a tale of workmanship. Painstaking as it is, the task like other art forms is a manifestation of man’s creative genius, struggling to create the spectacular. Naqaashi is the age-old Mughal art form of etching on gold.

What with the focus now shifting on the old and the antique, Naqaashi too has found its patrons. Roopa Vohra, a designer, sought to bring Naqaashi from beneath the folds of a forgotten art to its present day avtaar.

What began with Thewa six years ago is Naqaashi today. Together with Timsy Anand, Roopa gave Delhiites three days of visual appeal. The crafted jewels were on display in the Capital’s Maurya Sheraton from January 23.

Naqaashi for Roopa is a “ballad of artistry and craftsmanship”. According to her, naqaashi as a form of jewellery was never prominent, although the basic technique applied is age old. With an urge to create something new from the remnants of the old, Roopa began designing jewellery inspired by the Mughals in 1997.

Reviving dying art forms such as Thewa and now, Naqaashi, Roopa has acquired the tag of a ‘revivalist’.

However, choosing to remain a ‘Couture Jeweller’, she came up with her latest collection, ‘cocktail jewellery’.

Coupled with her creativity and in depth knowledge of the gemstone market, she has created a dedicated clientele, with names that range from the Saudi princess to the president of Singapore.

Her ‘Cocktail Jewellery’ collection is distinguished by its profound originality. For the designer, the collection has conventional pieces with an unusual twist and imbued with a dreamlike character.

Use of stones like rubies, pearls, sapphires and topaz in the designs has helped create pieces with an extraordinary appeal. “This collection”, she categorically states, “has a strong character and is meant for the woman who is sure of herself and has the capacity to leave an indelible impression on your mind.”

Artz Unlimited

Artz Unlimited, a collectibles store, houses art imported mostly from Europe and from the Far East. The store has opened its door in the Capital’s Lado Sarai. The brainchild of Ritu Khanna, curator and collector, Artz Unlimted has on display some of the finest Italian marble statues, Spanish garden furniture and French oil reproductions of masterpieces. These were picked-up by Ritu during her foreign sojourns.

Begun as a hobby, Artz collection is Ritu’s personal signature of quality and elegance and reflects her background as an interior designer and her inborn trait of self-styled curator.

Situated opposite the Qutub Minar, it has on offer over 1000 pieces of art, ranging from porcelain figurines, blue pottery, consumer goods, unbranded crystal and miniature golf sets. Also available is a range of exquisitely carved teakwood, walnut and oak furniture made by the master craftsmen of Artz here in India.

Passionate Ritu wants her collection “ to be bigger than that of Salar Jung Museum”.

She adds, “my store is really a place of the heart, not of the head. If you like collecting art pieces, you could spend more time at Artz. With over 20 years of experience in collecting works of art from all over India and abroad, I have not only an understanding of the value of what you pick up but also a clear idea of what you would like as a collector.”

An interior designer by profession, Ritu is a connoisseur turned businesswoman. “I love art for the sake of art. I love art for its beauty and not just the value it gives to a collector. I would rather buy a piece because I have fallen in love with it and not because it will be valuable or profitable”.

Wrangler look

Wrangler’s ‘look for 2003’ includes boot cuts, low raise waist, distress looks, shimmer and shine. With fashion pundits having predicted a boom time for the distress look, Wrangler has come up with a do-it-yourself kit that helps to give your not so-distressed pair a make over. The kit includes crystals, granules and scrapers that take care of the distress operation.

The new range is available in fabrics ranging from crosshatch to stretch, from polydenim to lightweights. The fits include Texas, Alaska, Denver and Santa Fe.

Fashion Awards

Pop singer Rageshwari enthralling the audience at the Images Fashion Awards ceremony.

The awards were based on a nation wide survey conducted by Images.

Womenwear at Pink Pearls Dr Aruna Bruta giving away prizes on the fourth anniversary of Pink Pearls.  Kamla Nagar based Pink Pearls, Delhi’s first multibrand lingerie with all women team, celebrated its fourth anniversary. To mark this occasion, a gala road show and lucky draw were organised. A local customer, Mrs Sapana Verma, won the first prize of Honda Activa. Renowned psychologist, Dr Aruna Bruta, who was the chief guest on the occasion, gave away the prizes. The chairman of the store, Mr Ajnesh Aeron, said the idea was to offer the best Indian and international brands to women in a comfortable environment, assisted by trained sales girls. Input by Nalini Ranjan