EDUCATION

Alumni Association honours toppers
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 18
Thirty toppers of various courses of Panjab University received scholarships and merit certificates at a function organised by the Panjab University Alumni Association at the Physics Auditorium, Panjab university, here today.

The toppers from graduate courses were paid a scholarship of Rs 3000 while those of post-graduate courses were given Rs 3500 along with a certificate of merit from the Vice-Chancellor, Prof KN Pathak.

This was the first time that the association organised such a function along with its annual general body meeting.

Congratulating the winners Prof. Pathak said the function would go a long way in strengthening bonds and establishing links with the alumni of the university. Dr M.L.Sharma, Dean, Alumni Relations, in his welcome address, informed that more scholarships would be instituted and a directory of the university alumni would be brought out shortly.

An amount of Rs I.5 lakh had been earmarked for awarding scholarships to the toppers. The Alumni Association had been given tax exemption by the Income Tax Department for a further period of three years and all donations would be exempted under Section 80 G. He appealed to the members to donate liberally towards the Alumni House funds.

Dr Anirudh Joshi suggested the opening of branches of the Alumni Association in major cities and other countries. Dr Paramjit Singh, Registrar, Panjab University, suggested linkages of websites of the association to help the university alumni update information.

The Alumni Association condoled the demise of Prof V.C. Pandey, Dr Karambir Singh Dhillon, Justice Dharam Vir Sehgal, Ms Renu, Balwant Gargi, Dr Kewal Krishan Tandon, Mr Moti Prashad Aggarwal, Principal Triloki Nath, Justice H.R. Sodhi and Mr K.C. Shenmar.

Parents told to encourage method reasoning in children
Tribune News Service

He said method reasoning in judiciary inspired him to bring the concept of critical thinking to classrooms.

Scholarships for students
Tribune News Service

He said the council was supported by dedicated, qualified and experienced faculty. The council had also created a fund for poor but brilliant students.

COURTS

High Court
Sharma case
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 18
Acting on a petition filed by an Assistant Professor with the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), a Division Bench of the high court today asked Director S.K. Sharma to file an affidavit.

In his petition taken up by the Bench, headed Mr Justice Swatanter Kumar, the doctor had earlier contended that the proceedings of the selection committee had been wrongly recorded.

Ravi Inder exempted from court appearance
Tribune News Service

Panchkula, March 18
A local court today exempted an Akali leader and former Punjab Speaker, Mr Ravi Inder Singh, from personal appearance in a property dispute case. After hearing his counsel, the court fixed July 3 as the next date of hearing Mr Ravi Inder Singh appeared in court today.

In the complaint, it was stated that Mr Ravi Inder Singh was the managing trustee of the Sardar Baldev Singh Charitable Trust based in Kolkata. He allegedly got a resolution passed on January 15,1998, regarding the sale of property of the trust at Pinjore.

He also allegedly got the signatures of a trustee, also a co-accused, Raj Mohinder Kaur. Thereafter, he allegedly sold the property for a sale consideration of Rs 15 lakh.

New Release
Manisha makes debut as producer

‘Paisa Vasool’ stars Manisha Koirala, Sushmita Sen and Makrand Deshpande. The film has been made under the banner of Moving Images and has been produced by Manisha Koirala. It opens today at KC Chandigarh.

Sushant Singh and Tinu Anand are in supporting roles. Bapi Tutal is the music director who has got a fine break in the film. — DP

LIFESTYLE

Helloji
Kirket Da Junoon
Preeto Kaur

Kirket na hui koi Dharmender di fillum ho gai! Now they are having match between India and Pakistan. It’s a big praablam because I am having to miss my important-important serials. Yesterday also they were having match. First match India was winning so everyone was thinking ke Pakistanian di te aisi de taisi ho gai. This time match was starting in afternoon.

When my He (sometimes I am calling him my “Eh”-pyaarch) was coming for lunch and putting on TV, he is starting his own commentary in drawing room- “Ganguli… tass vi nahin jit sakda, ehne ki swaah urrani hai?” And after that he is saying many worse-worse things when he is seeing Mushrraf in stadium. Then my He is eating his lunch in front of TV only and spilling the dahi on sofa. Then he is off to office.

Now I am wanting to see all my serials which are coming in afternoon but I am having to keep match channel only on. My He is phoning up after 15 minutes and aksing ki kee hoya. At four O clock he is getting so angry at me, my God. Only I was doing gup-shup with my best friend Sulochna. She is giving me hot-hot newses that our neighbour’s wife is being pregnant. “How that can be?” I’m thinking. He is coming home drunk every night and beating her. “Sach”, Sulochna is saying, “Ki oh bada maarda hai”.

My Eh is coming at six and seeing Pakistani score of 329 and screaming “Saade baller tan Shoab de samne bilkul hi jananian han. Kaash ki saada bhajji Honda”. When India is starting batting he is again getting angry. “Why they are not playing praaperly?” I’m thinking. “See to how my He’s blood pressure is going up.” Only Sehwag is playing goodly and he is hitting chakkas pe chakkas. Then my He is getting happy and saying “Eh hai saade Haryane te Punjab da puttar”. But when Ganguli is not doing batting praaperly, he is saying “Oy es Bengali jye nu kinne kaptaan banaya hai?” My pyaara jya makkhan da gola, Sachin is doing wunnderful hitting. He is making century again and I am getting too happy and making chai. Then Sachin is also getting out and Dravid is also going back to pavilion.

In the end, match is getting too hot. My He is biting and biting his nails like he is eating chicken da leg. India is playing too well but losing in ending…its only bad luck. My Eh is too sad so am I giving him one peg and ghuttoing his legs. I am trying to make him peaceful and telling him about our neighbour, the one who is pregnant. He is getting too surprised and saying, “Arre! Oh kinve?”

Style i
Flaunt joy of motherhood with elan
Geetu Vaid

Pregnancy is a beautiful time in a woman’s life but it also brings with it a concern about the way one looks with tent-like shapeless dresses replacing the classic fits in an expectant mother’s wardrobe.

With more and more expectant mothers wanting to look stylish and chic, maternity wear has become an important segment of fashion clothing. Several designers have taken up the task of making moms-to-be look and dress trendy.

Former Vogue Editor-turned-designer Liz Lange was the first designer to show an all-maternity collection during a New York fashion week in 2001. She created body-conscious designs, in solid colours and stretch fabrics. Our very own Rina Dhaka’s lycra chauridars, that she designed when she was pregnant, too, became hot favourites. Stylish celebrities such as Malaika Arora, Madonna, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Gwyneth Paltrow have helped set the trend that one can look and feel as sexy and feminine as one did prior to pregnancy.

Form-fitting maternity wear is the latest buzzword in this segment as instead of cloaking a pregnancy, women are flaunting their full figures with pride. They proclaim that pregnancy is not the time to divorce style.

Maternity clothing for the fashion inspired is fast catching up in the city too, though the choice available in Delhi and other metros is much more exhaustive than here.

Elegantly designed, using stretch fabrics such as lycra, nylon, stretch cotton and denim, these outfits can be worn till the last months of pregnancy.

“Fabrics like lycra and stretch cotton are used in maternity garments because these garments breathe and stretch according to the needs of the body as combining comfort with style is the magic mantra for designing maternity clothes,’’ says Tanu Mehtani, owner of Mums Mall in Sector 9.

Trendy tops with stylised sleeves and necklines in crushed silk, cotton and hosiery (priced Rs 350 onwards), maternity jeans and trousers with special buttonholed elastic bands (Rs 1,000 onwards), skirts, short dresses and even two-piece suits from Motherware (designed by Jhilmil Breckenridge), Moms 2 B and Momease are some of the garments available in the city stores.

“The dresses should be well designed, hug the appropriate places, yet stretch around the ever increasing areas,’’ says Jas, a city-based designer, who also designs fusion wear for moms-to-be.

The idea is to design clothes that one can wear even after having a baby she adds.

“Just because you are pregnant, doesn’t mean you have to stop attending formal functions and you like to look and feel your maternity best. So perfect fitting outfits that accentuate your maternity curves and features are wise investments as these make you feel and look as beautiful outside as you are feeling inside,’’ says Tejinder, who is expecting her second child.

Well-made maternity clothes give one extra room only where needed — belly, bust, hips, and arm holes — while maintaining the pre-pregnancy proportions. Going for bigger and baggy outfits adds to the bulk so clothes should be in the pre-pregnancy size as basic body structure doesn’t change. So don’t buy according to size, focus on fit instead. Bold prints and huge florals are also best avoided.

Choose garments that you can mix and match so that you don’t get tired of wearing the same thing. Choose colours that complement your complexion and hair colour.

The chic clothing choices have given moms-to-be a chance to celebrate their new-found curves. So have fun getting together a stylish maternity wardrobe.