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Annamalai varsity signs
MoU with NIFD Chandigarh, April 15 An
agreement of technical collaboration in this regard was signed in
Chennai by Dr M. Rathinasabapathi, Registrar, Annamalai University and
Mr Anil Khosla, CEO, NIFD. A grand ceremony to mark the merger will be
held here in Tagore Theatre on April 18 . The programme will be attended
by the Vice Chancellor of Annamalai University, Mr L.B. Venkatragan. From
this academic session, the degree programme will be offered at 40 NIFD
centres throughout the country whereas diploma programmes will be
offered at 80 NIFD centres. The curriculum has been designed by NIFD and
these selected NIFD centres will conduct regular PCP classes for the
students enrolled with university. |
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Print-making
students put up show Chandigarh, April 15 On display are about 150 works
employing print-making techniques of all possible descriptions from
etching and aqua tint to lithograph and serigraph. Among the students
who are participating in the show are Reuben, Tina, Divya, Rita, Preeti,
Tavmeet, Priyanka, Pooja, Meenu, Nutun, Aradhna, Rashmi, Neha and
Kamalpreet. The range of expression varies from figurative to abstract.
The most interesting feature of the exhibition is that every student has
used the medium of expression to freely air ideas and theme. The
exhibition has been put up to offer printmakers a platform to explore
their creativity by using latest techniques. |
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Students to
assist in framing of curricula Chandigarh, April 15 The item will
come up for discussion at the meeting of the Academic Council of the
university, scheduled for April 19. Another important item on the agenda
is that of introducing internal assessment of 20 per cent for the
postgraduate classes. At present, an internal assessment of 10 per cent
exists only in the undergraduate courses. Both the items are a part of
the changes recommended by the Faculty of Arts in the formulation of
guidelines for framing syllabi for various courses. The item also
recommends the board of studies to incorporate skill-oriented components
in syllabi. The other suggestion which will come up for discussion is
the introducing of a short-answer type question from the entire syllabi.
Besides, the academia will deliberate on reducing the house tests of the
B.Sc (honours) from three tests to two for the course. The council
will also consider the recommendation of the Faculty of Arts which
includes the change of nomenclature of diploma in journalism and mass
communication, a correspondence course, to postgraduate diploma in mass
communication. At the meeting, it will also be decided whether the
diploma be made available in colleges affiliated to the university as
well. An item on introducing a special diploma for the mentally
challenged in the subject of fine arts will also be discussed. The
election of three principals of degree colleges to the library committee
for a term of two years will be held at the meeting. While the starting
of a number of new courses from the forthcoming session will be taken
up, the council will also look into the feasibility of making
environment studies a compulsory 100-marks paper for students of the
first year of undergraduate classes. |
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Ukraine
varsity’s offer to students Chandigarh, April 15 “Of a total of 300 students from India at
our university, 157 are from Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh,” said
Prof I.V. Constantinobich, Chancellor of the university. He said the
entrance examination for students from North India was being conducted
to offer them special scholarships, so that more students opted for
studies at their institute. He said students who would score more than
70 per cent in the entrance examination for the MBBS course would be
given a concession of 25 per cent in the tuition fees. This scholarship,
he added, would be offered to the top 74 students in the entrance test.
From next year, the entrance examination and scholarship would be open
to students from the entire country. The Dean of International
Relations at the university, Mr Y.G. Pustovoy, said the university was
recognised by the World Health Organisation and the Medical Council of
India, while being rated as the 30th best medical university in the
world. He said the university, set up in 1956, was offering courses in
medicine, dentistery, paediatrics, nursing, along with postgraduation
and super-speciality courses. The annual tuition charges at the
university worked out to be around Rs 1.20 lakh with an additional Rs
50,000 as board and lodging charges. He clarified that since English was
the medium for teaching, foreign students were not required to undergo
any language course. Excel Educational Services, located in Sector
35-B, Chandigarh, are the official representatives of the university. |
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Students
apprised of foreign courses Panchkula, April
15 According to a press note, the team dwelled on various courses
offered by Lugansk State Medical University, which has been ranked 30th
by the World Health Organisation. The university carries out training in
English, Ukrainian, French and Russian languages.The students were
assured of all assistance in various courses such as pre-medical,
medical, dental, paediatrics and nursing. The Principal, Mr Krit Serai,
said the school was exploring the possibilities of tie-up with various
colleges and universities for domestic and international professional
courses for Class XII students. |
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DAV students
get merit certificates Panchkula, April
15 According to a
press note, the school won a shield and a trophy and was declared the
“best participation school” in the region. Amit Dhiman won a CD of the
Britannia Encyclopaedia for his performance. |
High Court Chandigarh, April 15 During the resumed hearing in the PIL, the Bench asked counsel for the Election Commission to inform it as to how many such hoardings have been removed or covered on the orders of the EC. It may be recalled that the High Court had some days back ordered that the hoardings put up either by the parties in power in Punjab and Haryana as well as the Chandigarh Administration on or before November 30 would not be removed. Today, counsel for the EC submitted the reply
of the EC in the matter. After hearing counsel for the two sides, the
Bench adjourned the case to May 3. |
‘Jija-Saali’ from city on Zee today Chandigarh, April 15 Selected out of hundreds of aspirants who gathered in at Film City in Goregaon, Mumbai, to try their luck on April 1, Sadhna and Vranchi are now back in the city to share their new-found joy with everyone. As Sadhna, a fine art lecturer at Government College, Mohali, says, “First we went for the audition of this special episode. The audition, held on November 16 last year, had several participants, but we were lucky to be selected. Finally, after we made it to the semifinal audition, we shot for the final episode, which will be telecast on Zee at 8 pm tomorrow.” The repeat telecast of the
special episode will be done on April 17 at 12 noon.  |
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Showcasing 100
years of American photography Chandigarh, April 15 Pictures featuring in the show that has been touring the world since 2000 are not plain moments in the history of a nation. They are sharp indicators of the evolution of the USA on technological, social and cultural fronts. The exhibit, called “Picture the Century” is rich with the works of noted photographers of the last century, as Lewis Hine, Dorathea Lange, Ansel Adams, Edward Steichen, Russell Lee, Danny Lyon and Yoichi Okamoto. To be inaugurated by the Ambassador, US Embassy, Mr David C. Mulford, at Punjab Kala Bhavan, Sector 16, tomorrow, the exhibit will also reflect the history of photography, especially government-sponsored photography in the United States. The exhibition is specifically on 100 years of photographs from the National Archives of the US. Each of the pictures in the show was made possible by technological advances in cameras, film and film developing. So, in a way, the display structures the evolution of a style that finally came to define American photography and through it the American culture. Another highlight of the show would be that all 157 pictures in the exhibition have either been taken by government photographers or are part of the Federal record. The exhibition will open at 6.30 pm tomorrow.
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New
Release AFTER the success of ‘Bhoot’, ghosts are in and if you are looking for thrillers you will find chills and thrills in ‘Krishna Cottage’. The film will be released today at Batra Chandigarh and Fun Republic, Manimajra. Ekta Kapoor and Shobha Kapoor’s ‘Krishna Cottage’ is reportedly inspired from Hollywood’s ‘Evil Dead’. There are deaths and untimely demises in this suspense thriller that stars Sohail Khan and Natasha. It also stars Isha Kopikar, Divya Palat, Varjesh Hirji, Ali Hasan, Raj Zutshi, Hiten Tejwani and Rati Agnihotri. ‘Krishna Cottage’ is a love triangle and a journey between falling in love and possessing the one you love. The film is full of horror and terror. The scare is of who will come in the way of love and lose his life. ‘Krishna Cottage’ is director Santram Verma’s first Hindi feature film. The songs are penned by Sameer, Sanjay Chhel and Vishal Shekhar. The music has been composed by Anu Malik. This one is presented by Jeetendra under the
banner of Balaji Films Ltd. The promos look promising . If the cast does
not intimidate you, director Santram Verma’s scare fare definitely will.
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Committed to thorny affair
They have chosen a rocky path for their thorny
affair- literally. The teeming population of Vaastu shastris, who
profess against keeping cacti in homes be damned, residents are
committed in their love with the green thorny foliage and succulents,
which adorn many a home. In fact, the city residents’ love affair
with different variety of cacti and other succulent plants is not very
old, though their collection of cacti and succulents is priceless and
includes clumps of mamillaries, dainty parodies, lohivias, multi-coloured
gymnocalyciums, large ferocactus, adenium, jatropha, as well as
hybrids created by the residents themselves. From the smallest of
Epithelanthes Micromeris to the larger Melocactus, and from succulents
like Haworthia Scabra to Japanese bonsai like Buxus Harlandii or Greek
Murter, residents here have priceless collection of plants. Though
succulents and cacti are alien to the country (these are traditionally
from West Asia, Africa, South America and Madagascar), the residents
have nurtured these cacti and succulents with care, and made these
green beauties adapt to the local climate. Of course, the city
becoming an abode for these plants is a group effort of the National
Cactus and Succulent Society of India (NCSSI), which has been a
platform for its members to exchange and buy various exotic seeds,
imported as well as hybrid seeds. Their labour of love is now for all
to see. Brig C.S. Bewli, Director, Survey of India, and general
secretary of the National Cactus and Succulent Society of India, has a
collection of 500 cacti and 100 odd succulents, besides some rare
bonsai. “ I used to hate cacti till about eight years ago. My interest
in cacti and succulents developed only when I visited the annual show
of the NCSSI. I was taken in by the charm of the cacti, and amazed at
the variants of the thorny plant. Since then, I have been collecting
these plants,” he recalls.
And Brigadier Bewli’s garden bears
testimony to his love for the foliage. His vast collection of
Notocactus, Parodia, Rebutia, Coryphantha, Mammilarias, Haworthias
could be anybody’s envy. Some of the plants are as old as 10 years,
others like Coryphyantha Eliphentidens and Notocactus Leninghausii are
rare. His collection of dichotomously growing cactii like Mammilaria
Nejapenses, succulents like Haworthia Pumila and Euphorbia obese, and
aloes find a place of pride his garden as well as the terrace. And
it is Brigadier Bewli’s single minded devotion for his plants that has
seen it grow over the years.”All my spare time, including my earned
leave goes into taking care of the plants. Everyday, I personally
supervise the plants. See if they have to be watered, which side to be
kept facing the sun and which against sunlight to avoid scorching,” he
says. It is the same devotion that has kept Mr Ramji Lal, Chief
Conservator of Soils, Punjab, going with his collection of cacti and
succulents. He has won various awards at cacti shows over the years,
but his passion of the thorny plants continues. His front garden,
backyard and terrace are all adorned with these green beauties, some
flowering varieties are in the two green houses on his terrace. His
total collection of 2,500 plants has 200 varieties of cacti and
succulent species. An engineer by profession, Mr Ramji Lal says that
his love story with the foliage began over 20 years ago, while he was
posted in Hoshiarpur. “ After I developed an interest in the
succulents, I would go to all cacti shows that I knew off and collect
seeds and then grow these. Later, while on numerous visits to the
Shivalik foothills, I picked up a lot of succulent plants,” he says.
His rare collection of cacti includes Mammilaria Huitzlopochtli,
Phyrocactus Bulbispinus, Gymnocalycium guanchines (native to
Argentina) and succulents like Echiveria laui (a blue coloured coating
on the plant which turns green if touched). He says that the first
thing he does when he comes home for lunch, is to look up his plants.
“ Everything else can wait,” he says. He has made two green houses on
his terrace, including a special green house for 300 plants of
Haworthia and Aloe species. TNS |
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Helloji “Arundhati Madame, you are having to go to my kothi
today. You are knowing na, Mr. John Smith is coming for big beat-up?
Missus is wanting moral spport. Like that to she can do good hostility
to hundred people but one a-broad person…bas, finish! Oon vi ae firangi
thode vakhre type de honde han. This Johnny is a nice chap …he is giving
very big order for manhole covers…but see to him! I am saying and saying
‘Stay in my kothi…he is not only not listening to my insistings but he
is getting irritated. That’s why Govinda is saying in that very funny
movie —- east or west, India is the best…kinni changi gal kiti hai
Govinda ne…these a-broad peoples are very dry-dry. Not like us
Punjabis…all wet-wet and warm-warm. “Arundhati Painji aagaye tussi…pehlan
te tussi cha –sha piyo…oy Ramu, oy kithe gaya hai oy? One hour ago I’m
telling him to make paronthi and bhurji for Bittoo, till now he’s in
kitchen only…pai puche koi, tun poora din paronthe pakane han? Hundred
works are theyer to do. I’m not having free time to take one breath
also. You know Arundhati painji, Khannas of 4 sector, had a guest from
a-broad last month. Mrs Khanna was being so proudy about it..I can’t
tell to you. Oof! How some peoples are boasting and boasting! As if
others are not getting baharle peoples. I was wanting that Johnny’s wife
would also come. Then I would taking her to Fabindia, and also here,
there. Then this Khanna female would see what guests from a-broad are.
Par chalo what to do? She was making faces in the phone when I phoned to
call her for beat-up today….haanji, let her also see what mud I am made
of in the evening party. “You are sure you are not wanting cup of tea?
How that can be possible?…kuch to lo. Changa, thodi ji coke lae lo.
Nahin? Pheir nimbupani aaye? Nahin? Oy Ramu, teri praonthian bani ki
nahin? Thoda jya dry fruit lae aa…. Madame apni figure-shigure da bada
thyan rakhde han, haina ji? Don’t mind hain, just a joke. “You are
aksing how you can help me? I was wanting moral spport. When Khannas of
4 sector were having guest from a-broad na, then Khanna saab was sending
his secretary for moral spport of his wife. So I’m also aksing my
‘he’…good idea, na? Vaise to all arrangement are being done by King
Katerers… shehr wich sabton mehenge hage o…but we are having famly
relations with them na, so they are giving discount to us. You are
coming to party today, na? You must bring your mister also. Oho! I was
forgetting… Ashok Saab said to order whores for guest from a-broad…what,
you don’t know what whores are…SNAKES bhai…you are serving them with
drinks.” |
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Style i
The garments with exquisite
and delicate embroidery are dressy without being ostentatious. The
pristine and ethereal chikankari craft, considered to be Noorjehan’s
gift to India, blossomed under the aesthetic Nawabs of Avadh and
designers like Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla, Muzzarfar Ali, Anita Dongre,
Tarun Tahliani, Hemant Trivedi, Manish Malhotra have all contributed to
make chikan work haute couture. From informal to formal to even bridal
wear, the designers have made extensive use of this delicate embroidery
in their collections giving a modern touch to this traditional art.
The minuteness of the floral motifs hold the key to the real charm of
the chikan work. This unique craft involves delicate and artistic hand
embroidery on a variety of fabrics like muslin, georgette, silk,
chiffon, organza, doriya, organdy and even polyster. As many as 32 to 36
types of stitches like murri, bakhia, ,jali, keel kangan, tepchi, tappa,
dhum, katao are widely used to produce exquisite creeper, vine, flowers,
foliage, mango, almond, parrot and peacock designs. Whether entirely
covered with fields of embroidered motifs or just spattered with minimal
elegance the ethnic appeal of chikan has various facets. Though done
traditionally on white on white or light pastel shades the trend this
season, however, has been for bright colours, says Harpreet Singh, of
Walk In in Sector 17. Bright pink, peach, olive are being liked by the
customers this season, he adds. ‘‘This is one fashion trend that has
not lost its appeal since ages rather it becomes richer and more haute
each year’’, says Rachna who has been a fan of chikankari for over 15
years and adds new designs every year. In city you can pick up
readymade suits and fabric for about Rs 400 to Rs 3,000 depending on the
quality of work and fabric. The short kurtis that are a rage this season
too with youngsters are available for Rs 150 to Rs 625. Chikan designer
kurtas are available for the ethnically inclined men, both for casual
and formal occasions. Reetinder, a city-based designer who has included
chikan sarees in chiffon in vibrant colours in her summer collection,
says ‘‘ the classic murri and jali stiches embellished with sequins and
crystals make these just right for formal dos’’. Available for 2,500
onwards these unique pieces are sure to fetch you a lot of compliments,
she adds. Chikan has a great potential and over the years it has moved
on from being used on casual summer kurtas to semi-formal garments with
more innovations in silhouette. Formal pants in chikan work, shirts,
sarongs, scarves, skirts, blouses the magic of this embroidery makes
every garment special,” she says. Chikan work on bed covers, table
covers, tray covers, napkins etc is also in great demand, she says this
shows the versatility of the exquisite art. TNS
A stitch in style
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Capturing
social issues on celluloid ENGINEERING may have brought bread and butter for
Sameer Guglani, but it is his passion for capturing social issues on
celluloid that has earned him laurels. Considering that his first
production, a short film on gay rights, has been selected for New York
International Film and Video Festival (NYIIFVF)-2004, one can say that
this city boy is on the right track as far as film making is
concerned. A short docu-drama based on the events in the life of a gay
couple, Ajit and Nikhil, shows their struggle to come to terms with
their own peculiarities and at the same time struggling for acceptance
from society. Shot in Bangalore by Sameer and his wife, Nandini
Hirianniah, the film is 11-minutes long and supported by only a
soundtrack. The film came as a part of the portfolio of Sameer when he
was preparing for applying to film institutes in the US. “I have always
been interested in film making and acting. So when I was working in
Bangalore for an IT company, in the sidelines I was preparing my
portfolio so that I could apply in film institutes in the US,” says
Sameer, a resident of Sector 40, who has now shifted base to
California. “Gay right is a subject which is close to my heart,” says
Sameer. “It’s not just about sexuality but about relationships and just
because their concept of relationship just not fit into the conventional
mode set up by society, we do not have the right to call them queer,”
says Sameer, who passed out from Thapar Engineering College,
Patiala. For Nandini, film making was a different experience
altogether. A mass communication student, Nandini, says- “In all, for
me, this project helped me make a shift back into film making, gave me
exposure to Hollywood way of things and brought me an unexpected
surprise, a life partner”. It was during the making of the film, Nandini
and Sameer fell in love and tied the knot. The film produced under
Madhouse Films Production remains untitled. “The entire film was shot in
a shoestring budget of Rs 25,000. After completing it we showed it to
our families and friends,” says Sameer. Enthused by their response,
Nandini and Sameer filled the online form for NYIIFVF by the end of
2003. The film was selected under the genre of silent/ experimental and
has already been shown at festivals in New York and Las Vegas and will
now be screened at Los Angeles. “The response was good at festivals as
gay right has a universal appeal,” says Sameer. What about joining
mainstream cinema ? “Eventually, I would like to do that but since at
present I am too busy with the job and settling down in this new
country,” says the artiste. OC |
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Soaring on the wings of melody He is better known as founder of the Hira group which took the world of Punjabi music by storm with its uniquely classic strains. “Doven haaniya, giddhe diyaan raniyan…” is an instant reminder of Pulvinder Dhami “Hira”, who ruled the music charts in India while sitting in London. But now the aspiring singer is back in India, with yet another release titled, “Patang Wali Dor”. Also about to act in a 52-episode serial to be aired on Jalandhar Doordarshan, Dhami spoke to The Tribune about his new venture. “The music album I just released is getting rave responses primarily because its video is clean. I have been greatly pained by the dirt that goes into the many Punjabi albums being made these days. “Patang Wali Dor,” by Dhami has lyrics by Devinder Khannewala, Preet Mohinder and also the famous S.M. Sadiq from Pakistan. Music is by Tejwant Kittu, with some additional scores by Saib Balbir from London. Dhami says, “This is my 24th album. The last one, titled ‘Kya Baat Hai’ did well in India and abroad. This one is also picking up.” Apart from
music, Dhami is also concentrating on acting these days. Already having
featured along with Raj Babbar in “Shaheed Udham Singh”, Dhami is now
busy planning a crime watch for Jalandhar DD. “We are tying up with the
Punjab police authorities to help us with crime files. The programme
will be modelled on the other crime patrol series showing on many
channels. It will, however, have some element of fiction, I will play
the lead.” Dhami also has behind him “Ik Ankh Ek Nazar”, the telefilm
which late Harpal Tiwana made on the life of Maharaja Ranjit Singh.
TNS |
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Chikankari outfits are an important part of summer
wardrobe of men and women of all age groups and social strata. From Jaya Bachchan to Dimple Kapadia to Karisma and Kareena Kapoor all have been
mesmerised by the magic of chikankari. So when Panchkula resident Rita
Gaur and city-based Rachna Sharma say that chikan outfits are standard
summer wear for them, then they are certainly in an impressive company.
The fact that city girls have the hots for these cool ensembles can also
be judged by the number of exhibitions of chikankari work that are held
in the city every season apart from the wide range available in all
parts of the city be it the swank showrooms, handloom houses or the
local Janpath, Sector 22 and 19 markets.