EDUCATION

Arya College gets Principal
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, August 20
After a gap of more than two years, the Arya College for Boys has finally got a Principal. Mr S.M. Sharma, assumed the duties of the Principal of the college on Monday.

He was selected for the post after an interview by a selection committee constituted by the chairman of the governing body of Arya College, Ludhiana, the Vice-Chancellor, Panjab University, and the DPI Colleges, Chandigarh.

The meeting was held in the office of the Arya Pratinidhi Sabha, Punjab, at Guru Dutt Bhavan, Jalandhar, on August 18. The selection committee interviewed five candidates for the post. Four candidates were from Arya College and one candidate was from Pathankot.

Mr S.M. Sharma was unanimously selected for the post. He took charge of the Principal of the college from Mr Jiwan Ahuja, acting Principal, on the same day. Mr Saathi Vijay Kumar, chairman of the managing committee of the college, and Mr Asha Nand Arya, vice-president of the committee, were also present on the occasion.

The college staff has welcomed the appointment of Mr S.M. Sharma. Mr Jiwan Ahuja assured his full cooperation to the new Principal.

Mr S.M. Sharma said he had spent a major part of his life in Arya College, first as a student and then as a lecturer. He has been teaching economics in the college for the past 32 years. Before assuming the duties of the Principal, he was heading the Economics Department. He said, “I want to see that students get quality education in the college. Efforts will be made to improve overall discipline.”

He remained a member of the Under Graduate Board of Studies in Economics for four terms, besides being a member of the Art Faculty for the past four terms.

Janmashtmi celebrations in schools
Our Correspondent

Students of Greenland Senior Secondary School enact the scene of Sudama’s visit to his friend Lord Krishna, on the occasion of Janmashtmi in Ludhiana on Wednesday. — Photo Inderjeet Verma

Ludhiana, August 20
Janmashtmi was celebrated in city schools with religious fervour. Bhajans, Raaslila and Meera nrityas were performed as part of the celebrations.

A function was held at Greenland Senior Secondary School. It began with the kindling of holy flame by the director and chairman, Mr Rajesh Rudhra, along with his wife, Ms Usha Rudhra. Schoolchildren recited hymns on the occasion. An aarti was performed and children sang bhajans. It was followed by Raaslila and Meera dance.

Mr Rudhra said children were the incarnation of God. He said children could go a long way in getting rid of people like Kans who were indulging in anti-social activities. He urged them to take a pledge to eradicate social evils like corruption, bribery and terrorism. Ms Baldeep Pandher, Principal, urged the students to perform their duties without caring for the fruit.

Students of Pumpkins Kindergarten, Gurdev Nagar, also celebrated Janmashtmi here today. Tiny tots came to the school dressed up like Krishna, Gopis and Meera Bai. Swings, benches and walls of the school were decorated with flowers, garlands and rangoli. Ms Belie Kler, Principal, said children must experience the right balance of Indian and western culture and the best way to achieve it was by celebrating all festivals.

At Everest Playway School, kids came dressed up like Krishna, Radha, Meera, Vasudev and Sudama. They enacted various scenes from the life of Lord Krishna, including his birth, mischievous childhood and Raaslila with Gopis. Anika, Sehaj, Jasleen, Annie and Isha gave a musical performance. Ms Poonam Sharma, Principal, offered prasad to the students. Mr Sushil Mahotra of Punjab Youth Congress was the chief guest.

COURTS

Inquiry into ‘forgery’ by student
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, August 20
As part of an interim inquiry ordered by the Punjab and Haryana High Court, Dr Ajmer Singh, Deputy Director, School Administration, held an inquiry into an alleged forgery case by an old student of Government Model Senior Secondary School, Punjab Agricultural University, here today. The inquiry was conducted on behalf of the Director of Public Instructions (Schools).

Jashanpreet, a student of the school, had reportedly flunked in Class XI and was declared failed in his school leaving certificate issued on March 31, 2000. Despite having failed, the very next day, he had taken admission in Class XII in Sargodha National Public Senior Secondary School.

It has been mentioned in the complaint that in the previous school, all his applications were signed by his father, Mr Bhajan Singh, but the fresh admission card bore the signature of Kamalpreet Kaur, younger sister of Jashanpreet, as guardian.

The complainant, Mr Gurdeep Singh, a teacher in a government school, has stated that until natural guardians disowned their ward in a court, no other guardian could sign his admission card. He has said although he had a registration number with the Punjab School Education Board (B-99-LS-4024/38), he had applied for another registration number at the time of his Class XII admission, which was against the rules.

According to Mr Gurdeep Singh, he had sent the same complaint to the DEO, Ludhiana, in November last, but the officer tried to hush up the case and no inquiry was ordered by him. The accused has now passed Class XII and has even taken admission to SCD Government College.

The complainant has also made the Principal of SCD Government College a party in the case, along with the Secretary of the Department of Education, the DPI, Panjab University, PAU School, Sargodha School and Jashanpreet Singh. During the inquiry, Dr Ajmer Singh held a talk with Jashanpreet Singh, his father, Mr Bhajan Singh, and the new school Principal, Ms Gurdeep Kaur. He checked records of the school and those brought by Sargodha National Public Senior Secondary School officials. He said he would submit the report to the DPI, who would then present it in the court.

CULTURE

Ex-Miss India’s affair with art
Shivani Bhakoo

Ludhiana, August 20
“I am not a feminist but I feel for women and their sufferings. I think women have never been given their dues. No doubt the times have changed drastically, still a lot more has to be done for woman empowerment”. These views were expressed by Miss India 1975, Ms Anjana Kuthiala, who is in the city these days to showcase an exhibition of her oil paintings and prints on canvas titled ‘Life and Times of an Indian Woman’ at Sutlej Club on August 23 and 24.

Currently working on her show to be inaugurated by Lord Swaraj Paul in November this year at the Nehru Centre, Indian High Commission, London, Anjana is not only a good painter but a writer, too. Anjana did her schooling from All Saints School, Nainital. She graduated in Art and English language from St Bedes College, Shimla. Her past art exhibitions have been sponsored by ITC, Maurya Shereton, ITC Grand Maratha, and CRY (in Dubai) and Brittania.

Her art work reflects the women enjoying every moment of life. “She could never contribute to her career. Man would do everything to brighten his career but the woman is never allowed to do the same at the cost of her home, family. She carries so much burden, maintains a balance between family and career, she should be given credit for that. Success is meaningful to her only when someone is there to share with. Women go with their heart and not with the mind and at times they suffer because of this transparency,” stressed Anjana.

The prominent collectors of the artist’s work include Vijay Mallaya, Farooq Abdullah, Shobha De, Ritu Beri, Shah Rukh Khan, Hema Malini, Rajesh Khanna, Sunil Dutt, Poonam Dhillon, Shekhar Suman, Sanjay Dutt, etc.

On her art collection, Shobha De has commented,”When a beautiful woman strives to interpret her vision of female beauty on canvas, the images acquire a special meaning and a magical dimension, Anjana’s women have always celebrated life in all its richness and colour. Her work is her tribute to eternal grace and shakti.”

On asking why she had chosen the city for her exhibition, Anjana said,”I belong to Punjab. The richness of art should not be restricted to metropolitans like Delhi or Mumbai. It should be brought to smaller towns. There are a number of art lovers here in the city. I hope to get a good response from Ludhianvis, after that I will plan to organise my exhibitions at Jalandhar and Patiala.”