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Reticulated LPG supply comes to city
Mohali, February 15
With two cooperative housing societies here having applied to Bharat Gas for cooking gas connections in individual flats through pipes (called the reticulated LPG supply system), the time has come to say goodbye to LPG cylinders.

Bansal likely to be UT Cong nominee again
Chandigarh, February 15
The Congress today virtually declared re-nomination of MP Pawan Bansal as party candidate at its maiden election public meeting in Colony No 5. A party press released issued by the Chandigarh Territorial Congress Committee (CTCC) president, Mr B. B. Bahl, said, “Mr Pawan Kumar Bansal, Member of Parliament, is likely to be nominated once again for the lone constituency of Chandigarh.”

Deer escapes from  zoo enclosure,  disappears in swamp
Chhat Bir (Patiala),  February 15
A female swamp deer today caught wildlife experts in the Mahendra Chaudhary Zoological Park, located on the Chandigarh-Patiala highway, on the wrong foot after jumping over its enclosure. The female deer escaped from captivity as it jumped over a nine-and-a-half feet high wall of the enclosure and went into the swamp area within the zoo. Four employees have been put on a duty to catch the animal without harming it. 

Giani Tarlochan Singh defends Sikh clergy’s edict
Chandigarh, February 15
The Jathedar of Takht Kesgarh Sahib, Giani Tarlochan Singh, has supported the decision of the Akal Takht Jathedar to declare the Editor of a monthly magazine, Mr Joginder Singh, as “tankhaiya”.

The master of 100 strings...and more

Chandigarh, February 15 Had it not been for the love of God, Pt Shiv Kumar Sharma would not have created history with his santoor. For 50 years now, he has been enriching the Indian classical music with melodies soothing enough to cure stress. Santoor player Pt Shiv Kumar Sharma reflects on his journey with santoor, during his visit to Chandigarh on Sunday. — Tribune photo by Pankaj Sharma

Pandit Sharma’s santoor exudes melody

Chandigarh, February 15 Great musicians reflect themselves through their instruments. No wonder Pt Shiv Kumar Sharma’s santoor sounded so very melodic, so very polite this evening. Kumkum Mohanty and Pt Shiv Kumar Sharma present Odissi and santoor recital, respectively, on the third day of the Bhaskar Rao Sangeet and Nritya Sammelan at tagore Theatre, Chandigarh, on Sunday. — Tribune photos by Pawan Sharma

Most cancer patients approach doctor too late, says expert
Chandigarh, February 15
About 90 per cent of the patients suffering from cancer in India reach the doctor too late — at a stage when cure is a distant dream — as against 50 per cent in America. The situation is likely to worsen as the number of cancer deaths in the country is likely to double by 2020. Lack of health education and cancer awareness among the citizens are the reasons, says Dr Robert Twycross of Oxford International Centre for Palliative care.

Health scheme benefits elude ex-servicemen
Chandigarh February 15
With the much-talked about Ex-servicemen’s Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS) still not fully operational, retired soldiers in the region continue to face problems as far as medicare is concerned.

Now ex-soldiers want to visit Pak
Chandigarh, February 15
A proposal for government-sponsored visits of delegations of ex-servicemen from India and Pakistan has been mooted by some retired defence personnel here. A letter written by the All India Defence Brotherhood to the External Affairs Minister, Mr Yashwant Sinha, today stated that since relations between the two countries had started improving, there had been an exchange of delegations from almost all walks of life have except ex-servicemen.

CHANDIGARH CALLING A presentation accompanying the launch of a new pre-paid mobile service by a leading CDMA-based cellphone company last week at Chandigarh has raised many an eyebrow. Idol worship Tunnel tourism Actress in the making “Chori ki car” Flower show Hinglish Ground for protest

COMMUNITY

Mohali teacher enters LS poll fray
Mohali, February 15
Mrs Paramjit Kaur, Principal of the Government Model Senior Secondary School here for the past five years, is standing in the Lok Sabha elections from the Bathinda reserved constituency as a Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal) candidate.

Panthic board to contest 20 LS seats
Chandigarh, February 15
The newly constituted Panthic Parliamentary Board today decided to contest 20 Lok Sabha seats and work for the defeat of the Congress and the Akali-BJP alliance. Of the 20 seats 13 are in Punjab, one in Chandigarh, two each in Haryana, UP and Delhi.

Indian family system comes under microscope
Chandigarh, February 15
The changing role of families and need for building character rather than career of children were discussed at a three-day national seminar on “Family in contemporary India: changes and challenges” at Panjab University today.

NRI’s pocket picked in homeland
Mohali, February 15
For a Punjabi living abroad and visiting his state after 20 years it should have been an experience to remember when he returned to his home in Punjab. But for Sarandar Singh Sandhu, his first visit to his home state after 20 years in the UK began with a rather “unholy” experience.

Corps of Signals men celebrate anniversary
Chandigarh, February 15
The Corps of Signals of the Western Army today celebrated the 93rd anniversary of the corps with enthusiasm and festivity. Several functions were also organised on the occasion, a statement issued here said.

Missing girl had left the house in ‘anger’
Mohali, February 15
The teenage girl, Soni, who had recently gone missing from Shahi Majra village here, yesterday returned home after four days. According to her family members she had ‘left’ home in anger after a fight with her sister with whom she was living.

Rose shrubs planted at petrol station
Chandigarh, February 15
Bharat Petroleum embarked upon a novel way to celebrate St Valentine’s Day, with young and old couples planting rose shrubs in the 250 mudholes dug at company’s Sector 21 outlet.

CRIME

Journalist assaulted
Mohali, February 15
A journalist working for Siti Channel, Chandigarh, today alleged that he was manhandled and his money snatched by the police last night while he was covering a cultural show at the Phase VIII dasehra grounds here.

School bus runs over man
Panchkula, February 15
An unidentified turbaned man was run over by a school bus in Sector 5 this afternoon. According to the police, a bus belonging to Stepping Stone School, Panchkula, run over the man killing him on the spot. The driver of the bus reportedly fled from the scene. The body has been sent to the General Hospital for a post-mortem examination.

Car stolen

EDUCATION

4,500 appear in CAT
Chandigarh, February 15
Around 4,500 students appeared in the re-examination of the Common Admission Test (CAT) for admission to Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) and other allied institutions here today. No untoward incident was reported at the examination centres.

Kuldeep Singh is new SGGS College Principal
Chandigarh, February 15
Dr Kuldeep Singh has been appointed Principal of the Sri Guru Gobind Singh College, Sector 26, Chandigarh. He will take over on March 1 when the present Principal, Mr P.S. Sangha, who joined in December 1994, retires.

Lack of interest in sciences worries expert
Mohali, February 15
“Indian industry is reaping more benefits from the academia than it is giving back. In the end the industries benefit in monetary terms from what scientists do but they (the scientists) are getting all this virtually for free, "said Professor Goverdhan Mehta, Director, Indian Institute of Science, (IISc) Bangalore.

Aspirants appear for brainiest child hunt Chandigarh, February 15 The hunt for India’s brainiest child saw hundreds of children from the region being quizzed in the city today for 45 minutes on general knowledge, films, sports, politics and science. Those selected would get a chance to appear on “India’s Child Genius”, a new 27-episode TV quiz show to be aired on Star World. As many as 300 kids aged between 10 and 13 years appeared in a written screening test at St John’s High School, Sector 26, here. Around 500 students from across the country appeared in the test, said Mr Chitrajan Aggarwal, one of the organisers of the event. Students attempt questions at a screening test for a TV quiz show at St John’s High School, Sector 26, on Sunday. — A Tribune Photograph

367 children vie for titles
Panchkula, February 15
At least 367 children from Chandigarh, Mohali and the township participated in a talent hunt competition organised by Satluj Public School, Sector 2, here today. According to the school director, Mr Pritam Singh Serai, the participants were up to 10 years old. They took part in painting, dancing, catwalk, fancy dress, rhyme and poetry recitation competitions. The competition was open to all children.

• Orientation programme for students

• Bishop Cotton reunion

Hamara School
50 years of excellence in education

Shishu Niketan was conceived by its founder, Ms Suchinta Khorana, to be a modern learning institution for students from the middle-income group in order to develop competent, confident and enterprising citizens to the country. It has been the school’s endeavour to provide a wholesome experience to its students, spanning from high-tech educational concepts to sports to value-oriented education. A view of the school building.

Learning should be activity based
Education has to be formative in character and not merely informative. The fundamental aim of education is, therefore, physical, intellectual, emotional and ethical integration of an individual into a complete person. Mahatma Gandhi had once remarked that the brain must be educated through the hand. Those who do not train their hands and go through the routine rut of education lack music in their lives.

LIFESTYLE

Shopping fest in city mooted
The denizens of City Beautiful can strike off their annual tour to Singapore or Dubai, especially during the shopping festivals organised there. An annual gala shopping fest, on the lines of the Singapore Shopping Fest, could soon be a reality here.

“Sainya Bhai Kotwal” is best play
A three-day theatre competition organised by the North Zone Cultural Centre concluded at the Government Polytechnic College for Girls in Sector 10 here today. About 22 groups from Haryana and Himachal Pradesh took part in the contest. “Sainya Bhai Kotwal”, a play presented by the Nistha Sanstkriti Manch won the first prize.

A face to watch

When she was a little girl, she wanted to be an air hostess so she could fly to distant countries. Things rarely go the way you want them to; sometimes you achieve more than you originally aspired for. And that is what seems to have happened to city lass Urvashi Chaudhary. Last week she got a letter that made her jump for joy. It was from the Gladrags magazine, telling her that she had been short-listed for the Mega Model Contest 2004. The next day she got another letter with the news that she had been selected for verification of semifinals of Femina Miss India. What more could an upcoming model ask for? But, Urvashi is not entirely new to modelling. She has done over 10 ramp shows and bagged a number of titles such as the Best Catwalk of Miss North in June 2003 held at Chandigarh; second runner-up in Miss J&K held at Jammu on January 5 2004; 1st runner-up Princess North India this January.

Urvashi Chaudhary

Tips for managing stress
Heart attacks resulting from stress kills one Indian every 30 seconds. Suicide rates have doubled by 60 per cent worldwide and 121 million people the world over suffer from stress-related depression. These were some facts shared at the seminar on stress-related disorders and their management by Dr Mukesh Batra, Chairman and Managing Director, Dr Batra’s Positive Health Clinic Ltd.

Local artist gets admirers in Pakistan
For an Indian painter, exhibiting works on Pakistani soil and drawing a positive response from visitors and critics across the border is a matter of pride. No wonder city-based Malkit Singh is more than satisfied with his recent trip to Pakistan as part of the delegation for the World Punjabi Conference held in Lahore between January 29 and February 1.

Naval band regales Army men
A scintillating performance of Indian and Western music was presented by the Naval Symphonic Band Concert for Army personnel at Chandimandir cantonment near here today.

Yoga camp The Chandigarh chapter of the Bharatiya Yog Sansthan started a free yoga camp for women at a garden in Sector 44 here on Sunday. About 50 women were told about the necessity of yoga in combating stress. The camp is being organised under the supervision Mr Ram Das Gandhi, president of the sansthan, and Mr Parvinder Singh Kohli. Ms Raj Rani Nayar will impart training to the participants. OC

SPORTS

Harinder reaches last four

Chandigarh, February 15 Rao Virinder Singh representing Chandigarh “G” team gave a tough fight to Harinder Singh of Punjab in a quarter-final bout before succumbing in the heavyweight section of the 11th AK Misra Memorial Boxing Tournament played here at Skating Rink, Sector 10, today. Harinder Kumar of Punjab Police (left) during a bout with Dinesh Bakshi of Madhya Pradesh in light welterweight category of the 11th AK Misra Memorial Boxing Tournament in Sector 10, Chandigarh, on Sunday. — Tribune photo by Malkiat Singh

Rohan, Gaurav shine in cycling tourney
Chandigarh, February 15
Rohan Kakkar of Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 35, and Gaurav Sagar of DAV Senior Secondary School, Sector 8, among boys and Nusrat Khan of PMLSD Public School, Sector 32, among girls stole the show in the Chandigarh Cycling Championships held at Panjab University campus here today.

114 take part in Heritage Golf
Chandigarh, February 15
One hundred and fourteen golfers took part in the tournament organised at the Chandigarh Golf Club on Saturday to herald the start of the second Patiala Heritage Festival.

ADMINISTRATION

Police station raided
Panchkula, February 15
Following the directions of Mr P.K. Yadav, Judicial Magistrate (First Class), Panchkula, a warrant officer along with some policemen raided the Chandimandir police station.