Ludhiana, October 27
Kheti Virasat, an NGO, will organise an organic farming summit in the city in January. As a part of the three-day event, a series of conferences, workshops and forums shall be conducted .

The NGO has invited papers on the issue from experts which should reach them before November 15, a press note said.

“The idea is to find out where the state has gone wrong on its farming policies and coming out with corrective measures,” said Mr Umendra Dutt, Director, Kheti Virasat. He said a host of issues like monoculture revolution, crop diversification, impact of chemical agriculture and impact of pesticides would be discussed during the summit.

Ludhiana, October 27
The students of Guru Nanak Engineering College today staged a token demonstration in protest against an attack on a college teacher allegedly by another teacher last evening.

The students were demanding strict action against the accused teacher who had allegedly attacked his colleague Deepinder Singh.

The Sadar police was recording the statements of both parties for registration of a case.

Ludhiana, October 27
The Department of History of Guru Nanak Girls College organised an extension lecture today. The resource person was a reader from Panjab University, Dr Veena Sachdeva. The topic of the seminar was “Political organisation of Punjab during the 18th century.”

The inaugural speech was given by Mrs Amarjit Kaur, Head of the Department of History, followed by a welcome speech by Principal Charanjit Mahal.

Cultural bonanza

The SDP College for Women, Ludhiana, opened a week-long cultural bonanza on the college campus today to commemorate Divali. The cultural week began with collage and poster-making competition and an intra-college poetry recitation competition.

Mr Balraj Kumar Bhasin, president, SDP College for Women, inaugurated the function along with the guest of honour, Mrs Usha Kiran Bhasin.

Eighteen participants from nine colleges of the Ludhiana zone participated in the poster-making competition and displayed their talents.

The judges of the poster-making competition were Mrs Jyoti Paul and Ms Babli.

Neha Jain of SDP College for Women, Shuchi Jain of SDP, College and Ms Anju Dogra of Khalsa College for Women were declared first, second and third, respectively. Shruti Sood of Khalsa College for Women won the consolation prize.

In the intra-college poetry recitation competition, Balwinder and Gugdeep Kaur were declared first and second respectively.

Mr P.C. Gupta, president, and Mr Romesh Sood, general secretary Alumuni Association, of the Government College for Boys, in a statement have criticised the recent attacks on union leaders of the Government College by some outsiders. If these institutions were not safe, what about the common man’s security, they asked, while demanding action against the culprits.

Inter-college debate

Preeti Sharma of Ramgarhia Girls College, Jinni Ghai of Government College for Boys and Tina Rani of Malwa Central College of Education have been declared first, second and third, respectively, in a debate competition on “Democracy is world’s costliest luxury’. The competition was organised by the Nehru Sidhant Kender Trust and held a Government College for Boys here today.

The overall trophy was won by the Government College for Boys.

Teams from 14 colleges of the city participated in the debate. Each team had two speakers. One speaker spoke for the topic and the other against the topic. The students had the choice of speaking in Hindi, Punjabi or English.

Ludhiana, October 27
On the second day of Panjab University Zonal Youth Festival of Professional Colleges -B Zone, eight plays by different teams were staged today. Twelve teams are participating in the festival. The zonal festival started yesterday amid a lot of fanfare. The chief guest for today’s function was Mr Prem Mittal , Senior Deputy Mayor, Municipal Commissioner , Ludhiana.

The function was divided into two sessions. In the morning session , two competitions, creative writing and poetic recitation, were organised while in the afternoon session, students were moved by a number of plays. The chief guest for the evening session was Mr BK Gupta , Zonal Commissioner , Municipal Commissioner.

Dr Chander Mohini, principal, said the enthusiasm of the students was worth appreciating. The plays were very good. The plays that were staged were “Chanan de Pani”, “Aasi Aap”, “Inspector Matadin Chand Pe” and “Faisla Kaun Karega.”

Histrionics are also scheduled for the later part of the evening. Clay modelling and collage making were the two other competitions that would be hold simultaneously in the college.

Narinder Kumar Jain welcomed Dean of the College Development Council, Panjab University, Chandigarh, Mr B.D. Budhiraja presided over the function yesterday.

In the morning session of October 26, extravaganza of musical competitions were held. In the shabad gyan competition GHGH College of Education, Sidhwan Khurd, won the first prize while in singing, DAV Samaj College of Education, Ferozepur won the first prize. In the instrumental category the first prize went to Seema of GHGH College of Education, Gursar Sadhar. In the western music Shabnam Walia of DD Jain College won the first prize.

At the same time on the college campus, collage painting and rangoli competitions were held. In rangoli competition, Gitanjali of Malwa Central College of Education, Ludhiana won the first prize and in still life drawing Pooja Bajaj of GHGH College of Education, Gursur Sudhar, won the first prize.

Jagraon

On the third day of the Panjab University Zonal Youth Festival, Moga Zone, being held on the premises of the local LRDAV College, Gurinder Singh of Gobind National College, Narangwal and Karamjit Kaur of SGG Janta Girls College, Raikot, were placed first and second, respectively, in the percussion instrumental music competition.

In the non-percussion instrumental music competition, Amandeep Kaur SGG Janta Girls College, Raikot, was declared first whereas Amarjeet Kaur of KCW, Sidhwan Khurd, and Ganganjot of GNC, Narangwal, won second and third positions, respectively.

In the music vocal solo (Western) competition, Rachita of SD College for Women, Moga, Salori of DM College, Moga, and Ritu Kamal Sharma of SG Sc Ed and Research College, Jagraon, won the first, second and third prizes, respectively,

In the debate competition, Parminder Kaur of GTB National College, Dakha won the first prize while Gurdip Singh of GHG Khalsa, Gurusar Sudhar and Rachhpal Kaur of DM College, Moga, got second and third position, respectively.

Ludhiana, October 27
Nine-year-old Gurpreet, student of Class IV in Sacred Heart Senior Secondary School, BRS Nagar, is the only winner from Punjab among the 24 winners of a painting competition organised by McDonald’s India as part of the World Children’s Week celebrations.

These children’s paintings have been printed on greeting cards and calendars to be sold across McDonald’s restaurants in North India. At a ceremony held recently in Delhi to honour the winners Gurpreet had the opportunity to meet other 23 winners. Former Miss India and social activist Nafisa Ali was the chief guest.

The ceremony formed a part of World Children’s Week organised by McDonald’s North India with ORBIS and Dr Shroff’s Charity Eye Hospital to raise funds to combat childhood blindness.

Gurpreet was happy to know that the proceeds from the sale of the greeting cards having her’s and other winners’ paintings would be utilised for surgeries of the visually challenged children.

Gurpreet, was a child when she picked up paints and brushes as both her elder sister and mother paint too. She has won a couple of prizes in painting competitions.

Earlier in August she had sent her entry in the painting competition for children between 4-12 years of age on the theme of “My World of Happiness”. Gurpreet’s painting depicted that her world of happiness was sharing things, specially food, with her sister and parents.

Doraha, October 27
Guru Nanak National College, Doraha, will host the PU-Zone A Youth Festival from November 6 to 10.

The Principal of the college, Mr Jaswant Singh Gill, said nearly 14 teams, including the colleges of Ludhiana, Khanna, Samrala, Karamsar, Machiwara, Sidhsar and the host college would be participating in the festival.

More than a thousand of artists would be taking part in various competitions, he added.

Mr Gill said,"With a view to acquaint the youth with their cultural heritage through the display of various art and craft forms, the Department of Youth Welfare has launched heritage festival that would be conducted along with the youth festival."

"Various items like ladies traditional songs, kurishri, vaar singing, Koli singing., folk insturments, folk dances, naggals saang (tamasha ) and crafts shall be included," Mr Gill said.

Competitions related to Punjabi crafts such as embroidery, knitting, croch work, pakhi designing and mehandi designing would be conducted along with collage making, clay modelling, poster making, corterning, rangoli etc.

Traditional songs, including suhag, ghorian, long heik songs, dholak, ghara songs, sithnia, naggals , Saang (Tamasha ), kivishri, kali singing, vaar singing, folk instruments and Panjabi folk dances would be performed.

The main attraction would be the heritage exhibtition displaying items related to folk and traditional life.

In the heritage exhibition non-student individuals of the area would also be allowed to participate.

Samrala, October 27
Malwa College, Bondli-Samrala organised a competition in Phulkari embroidery, crochet, knitting and Mehndi under the Department of Home Science. Prof Darpanjot supervised and guided the competition. In Phulkari Embroidery, Sukhraj Kaur (BA II) bagged the Ist position and Rupinder Kaur (BA II) was declared 2nd, in crochet competition, Rajwinder Kaur (BA II) won the Ist position and Manjit Kaur (BA II) won the 2nd position. In knitting competition, Anjana Dhand (BA II) was declared Ist and Baldeep Kaur (BA II) was declared 2nd. In mehndi competition, Amandeep Kaur (BA II) bagged the Ist position, Manpreet Kaur (BA II) was declared 2nd and Beant Kaur (BA III) student won the 3rd position. Prof Paramjit Kaur Sobti, In charge, Girls’ Wing, DSDW Baldeep Singh and Principal Parminder Singh were present an the occasion.