Ludhiana scientist in USA for research
Vimal Sumbly
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, October 22
Medicine has always fascinated Vikram Bal for obvious reasons as both his parents are doctors. While in his final year of a course in medicine at Christian Medical College here, Vikram was sponsored by the Danish Ministry of External Affairs to deliver a lecture on “Growing scourge of tuberculosis” to over 600 medical students from 80 countries worldwide in Aalborg, Denmark. He never looked back thereafter. The young scientist is currently doing research at Yale University in the USA.

“This experience provided me extensive exposure to the international medical community. Ever since, I have made it a point to frequently travel abroad for various scientific meetings. During the last months of my internship, I was the only Indian selected by the Berlin Biomedical Exchange Office in Germany for Emergency medicine and surgery critical care training at their leading institute, Charite”, he said.

Vikram got his major break with an offer from Dr Paula Kavathas, a professor with triple appointment in immunology, genetics and laboratory medicine at the Yale School of Medicine in Connecticut, USA. Dr Kavathas received a $1 million grant from the National Institute of Health (NIH) in the USA to develop a vaccine for chlamydia trachomatis. “It is an honour to work with Dr Kavathas”, he said.

Chlamydia trachomatis is an intra-cellular bacteria that is not only the leading cause of preventable blindness in the developing world, but also the number one cause of sexually transmitted infections in the USA. Such infections cause significant morbidity often resulting in chronic pelvic inflammatory disease and infertility. Annually, $ 1 billion are spent in the USA alone to treat people infected with chlamydia.

He has been working with Dr Kavathas for over a year now at the Yale School of Medicine. “We are among a handful of immunologists in the world who are doing pioneering work on developing a vaccine against chlamydia trachomatis”, he said.

He hoped that the development of a chlamydial vaccine would be a great boon to the developing and the developed nations. It would make a significant contribution in alleviating much suffering, he added.

Sacred Heart romp to 53-run victory
Our Sports Reporter

Ludhiana, October 22
The hosts, Sacred Heart Convent School, Bhai Randhir Singh Nagar, began their campaign on a victorious note with a comfortable 53-run victory over Government Senior Secondary School, Haibowal Khurd, in the inaugural match of the PCA Parle Inter-School (U-17) Cricket Tournament.

The tournament is being organised by the Ludhiana District Cricket Association under the aegis of the Punjab Cricket Association.

Government Senior Secondary School won the toss and invited Sacred Heart Convent School to bat first.

In a forty-over match, Sacred Heart School scored 193 runs in 36.5 overs. The main contributors were Lalit Malhotra and Akhil who scored 58 and 32 runs, respectively. Nikhil (13) and Varun Chitkara (12) were the other notable scorers.

For Government Senior Secondary School, Satinder and Maninder were the leading bowlers who scalped three and two wickets each for 39 and 22 runs, respectively. Nirmal, Sandeep and Ram grabbed one wicket each.

In reply, Government Senior Secondary School could manage only 140 runs in 32 overs.

Only three batsmen, Ram (13), Sunny (31) and Vaneet (17 n.o) could reach double figures.

For the hosts, Pranav (2 for 36), Akhil (2 for 21) and Sagar (2 for 9) were the main wicket takers. Keshav chipped in with one for 19.

Earlier, Mr Charanjit Singh Ahluwalia, life president, Ludhiana District Cricket Association (LDCA) and Mr Chaman Lal Malhotra, chairman, Punjab Selection Committee (senior) inaugurated the tournament.

Mr Newton, in-charge, sports, Sacred Heart School, Mr Vinod Chitkara, general secretary, LDCA, Mr Keshav Goel, Mr Varinder Patwari and Mr Naresh Marwaha were among others who attended the inaugural function. 

Salil shines in MC-XI win
Our Sports Reporter

Ludhiana, October 22
Cruising on a fine allround performance by Salil Kaushal ( 90 runs and 3 for 42), MC XI registered a convincing seven-wicket win over Rana Club (junior) in the ongoing cricket tournament at the Satish Chander Dhawan Government College for Boys ground here today.

Batting first, Rana Club (junior) piled up good total of 199 runs for the loss of six wickets in their quota of 30 overs.

MC XI made the required runs without facing any challenge. They needed just 29.1 overs to achieve the target after losing only three wickets.

Brief scores: Rana Club (junior)- 199 for 6 in 30 overs (Davinder 69, R. P. Singh 51; Salil Kaushal 3 for 42 and Sanjeev Bhalla 2 for 31)

MC XI- 200 for 3 in 29.1 overs ( Salil Kaushal 90, Anil Singla 54 and Sunil Sharma 30)

Excise Dept survey from November 1
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, October 22
If services provided by you fall under the purview of service tax and you do not get yourself registered by October 31 then taxmen can knock at your door anytime. The Excise Department will conduct surveys from November 1 to 30, in two phases, to detect assessees who fail to get themselves registered.

“If such cases are detected then those involved will not get any relaxation. The penalty imposed will vary on the quantum of tax due,” Mr V.M. Verma, Assistant Commissioner, Central Excise division Nos. 3 and 4, Ludhiana, told TNS.

“Such surveys, in fact, will be carried throughout the country,” he said, emphasising that the assessees must get themselves registered within this month.

Meanwhile, the commissionerate today organised the second fast track disposal camp for service tax adjudications and for instant registration of service tax providers at the Central Excise division Nos. 3 and 4.

More than 60 assessees got themselves registered, said Mr Verma, under whose supervision the camp was organised. He added that,” their penalties were waived off for not depositing the service tax on due date and for not filing ST-3 returns in time.”

Among those who applied for waivers were Ludhiana and Satluj Clubs, the department stated.

Meanwhile, the Central Excise Commissionerate, Ludhiana, which has nine districts under it’s jurisdiction, will hold similar camps in Ropar on October 28th, in Bathinda on 19 and 28 and in Moga on 29.

Last year, the commissionerate had collected Rs 52 crore as service tax. The figure is expected to be doubled this year.

While the revenue collected so far (till September) is Rs 28.8 crore, the department’s target is Rs 147 crore.