PTU COUNSELLING
City colleges get fair response
Deepkamal Kaur

Ludhiana, July 12
While many colleges affiliated to Punjab Technical University did not get a good response on the last day of the first counselling for admissions to MBA and MCA, held at DAV Institute of Engineering and Technology at Jalandhar today, city colleges were able to do fairly well by filling 70 per cent of their total seats.

According to information gathered from PTU officials, at least 12 colleges of Punjab were not able to fill more than three seats against a total of 60 seats. Just three colleges, including the Punjab College of Technical Education (PCTE), Baddowal, were able to fill almost all their seats. Two other colleges, the Guru Nanak Institute of Management and Technology (GNIMT), Model Town, and the Gujranwala Guru Nanak Institute of Management and Technology (GGNIMT), Civil Lines, also managed to fill a good number of seats, the officials said.

The PCTE has just four seats left out of 90 which have to be filled by candidates from the all-India category during the second counselling. All its 56 seats for Punjab students were filled on the first day on July 10. Eight seats were filled each with students from the reserved category and the all-India category and 14 seats filled at the college level that falls in the 15 per cent management quota.

The Guru Nanak Institute of Management and Technology (GNIMT) was able to fill 46 seats of a total of 60 on the second day yesterday. Of these, 40 were filled by Punjab students and four by students from the all-India category. Just two seats were filled by students from the reserved category on the first day and the rest were declared open by the university. The college has yet not filled any seat from the management quota and plans to do so once the second counselling by PTU is over.

The GGNIMT, however, got comparatively lukewarm response as it could fill less than half the total of 60 seats. Till yesterday, it had 25 students in all. Of these, 18 were from Punjab, two from the reserved category and five were filled with students from outside Punjab. The college is yet to select its students from the management quota.

Giving these statistics, Mr V.P. Singh, Director, Planning and Development, PTU, said applicants were fewer this time but the number of seats had been increased in many colleges. He said the second counselling would be held after the counselling for MCA was completed.

Mr S.K. Bhatia, Registrar of the university, said PCTE did fairly well as it could fill all its seats on the first day with 677 as the last rank. He said on the second day, counselling was held till the 1200 rank and on the last day today just 80 remaining students had been called. Regarding the two colleges at Mandi Gobindgarh, he said they did not do well this time.

10-year RI for possessing poppy husk
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, July 12
The Additional Sessions Judge, Mr D.R.Arora, has sentenced Dilbagh Singh of Bhinder Kalan village, Moga, to 10 years’ rigorous imprisonment for illegal possession of poppy husk. A fine of Rs 1 lakh was also imposed on the accused.

Declining the plea for leniency, Mr Arora said, “The offence is heinous and is to be tackled with a firm hand.”

According to the prosecution, ASI Harjinder Singh, in charge Bhundri police post, and some other policemen the accused was caught selling poppy husk to two youths near the deserted government colony in Gorsian Makhan area.

However during the trial, the accused pleaded innocence and claimed false implication. He submitted that he was picked up by the police from the brick-kiln of Dungiwal at Bhinder Kalan, where he used to work. 

CULTURE

Fusion music to echo in city on July 19
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, July 12
Ludhianvis are all set for a musical treat by “Sitar Funk”, a group of young and talented musicians led by Niladri Kumar. The programme is being organised by the Ludhiana Sanskritik Samagam (LSS) at Guru Nanak Bhavan on July 19.

Giving details of the programme, Mr S.K. Rai, general secretary of the organisation, said the group also comprised other top musicians who had made their mark in the world of music. He said the group fused Hindi film melodies with the Indian Classical music and Western music.

Mr Rai said the group had been performing at other places regularly. He said with its fusion music the group had established its identity with widespread audience. Sitar Funk, he said, was a unique global music.

The group leader, Niladri Kumar, is the son of Pt Kartik Kumar, a disciple of Pt Ravi Shankar. Niladri is one of the most talented and sought after musicians in both Indian Classical as well as fusion and world music categories. He has played all over the world and developed his music in all forms.

Another group member, vocalist Anand Sharma is the son and disciple of Pt Askaran Sharma. He received training in vocals from elders where as his family served as an inspiration for him. He received “Surmani” from the Sur Singhar Sansad in 1993.

Sri Sirdhar Parthasarthi plays “mridangam” for the group. He is probably the only “mridangam” player to have played both Carnatic, Classical as well as fusion world music with equal verve and understanding. He is also the member of the group called “Silk” consisting of Louis Banks, Shankar Mahadevan and Simanai.

The keyboard player, Atul Raninga, is a well known programmer as well as a pianist trained under Pt Tulsidas Borkar. He has been the mainstay of many Bollywood hits and has also worked on hit albums with Pt Vishwa Mohan Bhat, Jagjit Singh, Ronu Majumdar to name few.

Mukul Dongrey, who plays the drums, is the disciple of the great Trilok Gurtu. He is one of the very few drummers who are at ease with the complex Indian Tala system.

Satyajit Talwalkar plays the Tabla. He is the son and disciple of Pt Suresh Talwalkar. He is also considered to be a master in both Hindustani, Classical as well as fusion music.