The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

SCHOOL BUZZ
Nurturing a spirit of sportsmanship among children
Smriti Kak

The LEAD Foundation in association with Arun Vihar Residents Welfare Association (AVRWA), organised the Gautam Budh Nagar Inter-School Basketball Tournament to commemorate the valour of the young officers and men of the Armed Forces, who laid down their lives during the Kargil war.

The tournament held in the Army Public School, Noida, commenced on Kargil Vijay Divas. Apart from paying homage to the brave soldiers, the tournament aimed at nurturing a spirit of sportsmanship amongst the children and promoting a healthy team spirit.

Eleven boys and eight girls teams played against each other in the tournament. LEAD Foundation focuses on schoolchildren who would carry the baton in every field tomorrow to contribute to the society positively and meaningfully. Building them up with the right values, reinforcing their personalities and bringing home to them the spirit and great strength of collective concerted effort as a team are key areas being addressed by the LEAD team.

For the parents

The parents at an interactive session organised by Learner’s Castle.

Learner’s Castle organised an interactive counseling session for the parents on issues ranging from child development to behaviour problems. The session was conducted by consultant psychologist and counsellor, Ms Anubha Verma, and was attended by a large number of parents.

During the hour-long session, parents raised questions related to child care problems like TV addiction, poor communication and behavioural disorders.

Speaking on the occasion, Ms Verma said: “Children’s behaviour may differ at home and school and that is considered normal. Parents must behave in such a way that the children can shed their fears and blossom under showers of love and affection.”

Save the Ridge

A march to save the ridge was organised by Rotarians and students of Salwan Public School. The march proceeded from the school premises to the ridge area and was joined by social activists and a few local leaders.

A tree plantation drive was also carried out and the students were assured of full support by the Rotarians in their mission to save the ridge.

Seminar on traffic safety

Students attending the traffic safety week workshop, organised by Mahindra and Mahindra.

Automobile major, Mahindra and Mahindra organised a traffic safety workshop in association with the Delhi Traffic Police for school students.

Students from Vishal Bharti Sr. Sec. School participated in the special workshop-cum-demonstration of traffic rules.

The ACP Traffic, Mr K. S. Bedi and his team interacted with the students during the two-hour session and conducted a presentation on traffic rules.

The students were also provided an insight into the automobile industry, as auto experts pointed out the mechanics of automobiles.

A quiz was also conducted where students were asked questions pertaining to traffic rules and were awarded gifts.

Academy honours Bal Bhavan students

Ankur Club organised a Rakhee Bazaar Mela to raise funds for the underprivileged children, who are a part of the Sahan School. The guest of honour was Pratibha Advani.

Delhi Sanskrit Academy honoured the students of Bal Bhavan who have scored more than 90 per cent marks in their class IX exams. With an aim to create interest in the language and to motivate students, the Academy presented them with a certificate and a cash prize of Rs 500.

Among the awardees are Garima, S. Anshu, Divya Mittal, Ishpreet Singh, Sumit Jain, Ritika Goel, Pulkit Chowdhary, B.V.S. Prajwal, Heena Dhawan, N. Visalam, Aakanksha and Shruti.

Mr B. B. Gupta, the Principal of Bal Bhavan, Mayur Vihar and Mrs Rachna Gupta, Principal of the Swasthya Vihar branch have been given the Avantika Guru Draunacharya Samman for their efforts in “nation building”.

Avantika is a group of contemporary artists and intellectuals.

International children’s festival

Ryan International School is organising its fourth International Children’s Festival of Performing Arts. The four-day long event, which will commence on July 31, will showcase dance and drama competitions for school children.

A seminar on ‘Role of theatre in present education system’ and ‘Theatre as part of school curriculum’ will also be organised at the Abhimanch Auditorium, National School of Drama on the 2nd of August. Groups from Australia, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Russia will also participate in the event.

PRINCIPALSPEAK
Prayer can change your destiny

I was taking my usual morning walk when a man on a battered two-wheeler pulled up beside me. I thought the driver was going to ask for directions. Instead he showed me a picture of a cute small boy. ‘This is my grandson. He is on life support system at the hospital’. Thinking he was seeking help, I reached for my wallet. But it wasn’t money that he wanted. He said ‘I am making everybody to say a prayer for him - would you say one for him, please?’ I did. It changed my day”.

This is a beautiful real life experience that epitomises the power of prayer. A prayer is a powerful medium for determining our destiny for it is the voice of our divine inner being which links us to God, the ultimate shaper of our destiny.

‘What is a prayer?’ It is not a mechanical chanting of some ‘shlokas’ with folded hands. It rises spontaneously from within. It is the subtlest feeling one can ever experience. Its rhythmic chanting soon becomes the beat of our heart. Even repetition of one word like ‘Om’ or ‘Rama’ repeatedly brings you in consonance with the divine music of the universe. A prayer is an expression of our love for God – to reach, to communicate and seek his blessings. A prayer is not begging; it is a gratefulness, a recognition of the huge tidal waves of love, feeling of divinity inside you.

When we pray we make a link with Him. This link can be of three types - your good thoughts; your good words; your good deeds. Goodness is ‘God’. Automatically our life becomes good. And in contrast, when we think ‘bad’, say ‘bad’ and do ‘bad’ the link between us and God is severed and misfortunes befall us.

If we wish to change our destiny we must begin with a prayer. Surrender yourself completely to Him, just as Meera Bai, Raidas and Surdas did. When you surrender yourself to God, you will do the things He likes. Your thoughts, your words and acts will become noble and virtuous, and your life will be filled with contentment, fulfilment and true joy.

It has been scientifically testified that intense feelings have physical reactions. When Draupadi prayed to Krishna, He protected her and in response to Prahlad’s prayers He appeared in the form of ‘Narsimha’. But often our prayers go unanswered. It does not mean that God does not listen; it means that the prayer lacks intensity and sincerity. Words without feelings have no meaning.

A prayer is a link between God and you. When you are with Him, nobody can harm you and all your pure desires will be fulfilled. He is the ‘Supreme Power’ who will guide you, support you and bless you. A prayer elevates you for it puts negative emotions at rest, brings peace and tranquillity and makes the spiritual strength guide you. It transforms you into a better human being, which should be the ultimate aim of man.

Madhu Chandra Principal, Birla Vidya Niketan

COURTS

HC contempt notices for ‘inaction’ on tantriks
and their magic cures
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, July 27
The Delhi High Court has issued contempt notices to the Union Home Affairs Ministry and Delhi Chief Secretary Shaileja Chandra on a petition saying that no action has been taken against ‘tantriks’ in the city promising ‘magic cures’ for various aliments despite court orders.

Mr Justice Vikramajit Sen issued the notices, returnable by September 23, on the petition which also sought that the Delhi Commissioner of Police should be directed to take specific steps to prevent such quacks/conmen from operating.

On April 30, while disposing of a PIL, a Division Bench of the High Court had directed the Delhi Government to act against such persons offering ‘magic cures’ and misleading the people.

The judges also told petitioner S. C. Jain through his counsel Sugriva Dubey to cooperate with the law enforcement agencies in this regard and the authorities to consider the petition as a representation to them.

Now Mr Dubey has approached the court saying that despite its orders, no action had been taken by the authorities. On November 28, issuing notices to the MHA and the Delhi Government on the petition, the Bench had directed the authorities to take appropriate steps required under the Drugs and Magic Remedies Act.

The petition had sought to prohibit tantriks (magic cure doctors) from distributing pamphlets and putting out advertisements in newspapers making tall claims, cheating innocent people and causing injuries to the public at large.

It said the authorities were not taking steps to implement the Act, which prescribes six-month imprisonment or a fine up to Rs 1,000 or both for a person promising such cures and one year’s imprisonment or a fine up to Rs 1,000 or both for any second and subsequent offences.

Unchecked advertisements about magic cures could cause a grave health hazard if measures were not taken to check such practices, it added.

The petition claimed that there were at least 200 such tantriks in South Delhi alone.