EDUCATION

Nehru Kendra scholarships awarded
Our Correspondent

Mr Rakesh Bharti Mittal, vice-president of the trust, detailed the activities of the trust. He said the construction of Sat Paul Mittal School (in technical collaboration with Shriram School, New Delhi) would be completed by November, 2003 and it would start functioning from the next session.

Programme for scouts ends
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, May 9
Nearly 80 trained teachers from elementary and senior secondary schools of the district participated in a three-day orientation programme that concluded at Government Girls’ Senior Secondary School, Bharat Nagar, here today.

Mr Satnam Singh, District Training Commissioner and organiser of the course, imparted training in keeping a track of progress of the scouts and guides. He also gave them copies of course material and related literature and gave them tips on ways of training the students for various activities.

Mr Bachitar Singh, District Education Officer (secondary) and District Chief Commissioner of Indian Scouts and Guides, Mr Chander Hans Puri, District Education Officer (elementary), Mr Varinder Sharma, District Science Supervisor and District Education Secretary, were also present on the occasion. Mr Mahinder Singh Purba, Mr Jaswant Singh, Mr Vikram Katyal and Ms Surinder Pal Kaur were the resource persons during the programme.

NSS camp at college
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, May 9
A 10-day NSS camp which started on May 7 at Devki Devi Jain Memorial College will conclude on May 16. College students and volunteers are attending the camp. Prof Antar Jyoti Ghai and Prof Lotika Gupta are the NSS programme officers.

The camp was inaugurated by the Principal, Ms Kamla Jain. She encouraged the students to do community service. Prof Antar Jyoti highlighted the aims and importance of the NSS.

A game show, “Kuch Kehi Hein Ye Dhun” in association with Sony TV was also organised. Prof Prem Gupta and Prof Lotika Gupta talked to students of “female foeticide” and “importance of nutrition,” respectively.

Courses on food preservation and community food and nutrition are also being held at the camp. Many hobby classes like glass painting, soft toy making and embroidery are also being taught. Lectures on blood donation, first aid, importance of exercise and medication, AIDS awareness, water conservation, sexual harassment, protection of environment, importance of manual labour, national integration, and the role of women in social construction will be delivered.

A trip to the PAU Museum will also be arranged to acquaint the students with Punjabi culture. The valedictory function and an exhibition displaying various handicrafts made by the students during the camp will be displayed on May 16. At the valedictory function, the outstanding students will be given prizes.

Primary teachers postpone dharna
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, May 9
A dharna to be organised by thousands of teachers outside the office of the DPI at Chandigarh on May 13 under the banner of the ‘‘Save primary education front’’ has been deferred by eight unions of primary teachers.

The decision was taken afer the DPI (primary), Mr Jagtar Singh Khattra, invited teachers’ representatives for a meeting on May 20. Stating this, Mr Piara Singh Dhillon, president, of the Government Primary Teachers’ Union, said that various demands would be put up during the meeting would include the amendment of new education policy, maintenance of the Primary Education Directorate, starting fresh recruitments for vacant posts of Primary Teachers and lifting of a ban on transfers of primary teachers.

Students given farewell
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, May 9
A farewell function was held at the Partap College of Education, here yesterday. Prof J.P. Singh, Chairman of the college, was the chief guest. Prof Gurbachan Singh Gill, Mr Amarjeet Singh Grewal and their wives were the guests of honour.

Dr Balwant Singh, Principal, in his speech wished good luck to all outgoing students and told them that only hard work was the key to success.

A cultural programme and fun games were organised .

Sunanda, Harjit Kure, Vandana, Rachna, Arpna Bansal, Sukhwinder Singh and Bikram, students of the college, were awarded on the occasion.

COURTS

Principal withdraws bail plea
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, May 9
Principal of DAV School R.S.Patyal today withdrew his anticipatory bail application. On the last date, the judge had directed the Additional Public Prosecutor to produce the relevant record. Though no record was produced, the Principal preferred to withdraw the pending anticipatory bail application.

Earlier, apprehending arrest at the hands of the Vigilance Bureau, Mr Patyal had applied for the pre-arrest bail amidst the allegations of taking huge donations for giving admissions in the school. Entertaining the bail application, the court had already given directions that in case the police wants to arrest the Principal, a three-day prior notice must be served on him.

CULTURE

Punjab Govt asked to promote Punjabi
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, May 9
At a meeting of the Punjabi Sahitya Akademi, Surjit Pattar, president of the Academi, chalked out certain special programmes to celebrate golden jubilee of the akademi. Talking to Ludhiana Tribune, Surjit Pattar said, “The akademi proposes to hold philosophical and literary seminars at the international level to celebrate 400 years of the first reading of Guru Granth Sahib that took place in April, 1604. The academy also plans to hold a poetry festival at which poets of all languages will be invited from all over India. In this regard the academy will solicit the co-operation of the Bharatiya Sahitya Akademi.”

The members demanded that the Punjab Government should given more prominence and respect to Punjabi. Members also asked the Central Government to release a stamp on the occasion of golden jubilee of the Punjabi Sahitya Akademi.

Surjit Pattar said financial crunch was being faced by the academi as the Punjab Government was not extending any financial support. Dr Pattar said,” I have asked each Punjabi to donate Re 1 and have collected money from abroad too. We need money to promote the cause of Punjabi literature and culture. We have also released a literary magazine, Sahitya Sargam.”

The Punjabi Sahitya Akademy was founded by two stalwarts of Punjabi literature, Bhai Jodh Singh and Dr Sher Singh, Head of the Punjabi Department, Govt College for Boys, in 1954. It has around 1,000 members all round the world.