EDUCATION

Unemployed ETT teachers to intensify stir 
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, November 21
Unemployed ETT teachers today held a meeting at Chhatar Singh Park, Model Town, here under the leadership of their district president Jaswinder Singh Sidhu and assistant president of the DIET Harjit Singh Bhat.

They said they were given assurances by Chief Minister Amarinder Singh that regular employment channels would be opened for ETT teachers from October 28, but a month had passed and nothing had been done in this connection.

Mr Sidhu said they had met many officials concerned, but no one seemed to be bothered about them. There were 28,000 vacancies in primary schools and education of children was suffering, he added.

At today’s meeting, it was decided unanimously that at a meeting of the teachers’ body in Jalandhar on November 28, they would take some strong action if no signs about the regularisation of the teachers came forward.

They criticised Finance Minister Surinder Singla’s statement in which he had stated that education should be privatised.

Yoga, gymnastics to be made compulsory in govt schools
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, November 21
Education Minister Harnam Dass Johar has announced that yoga and gymnastic training will be made compulsory in all government schools in the state and physical teachers will be given extra training to further impart it in the schools. He directed the DPI (E) to ensure that this training is provided in the first period of the day positively.

He was addressing the teachers and students gathered at the prize distribution function of the District-Level Inter-Zone Tournament of Primary Schools organised at Government Senior Secondary School, Bharat Nagar, today.

Mr Johar said the government had chalked out a comprehensive plan to spot talented children in the field of sports in the schools from the primary level and comprehensive training would be provided to them to produce players of national and international level.

The Education Minister said with the fast advancements in Information Technology, the world had shrunken to a small village and every student sitting in any part of the world had access to the unending knowledge available on the internet.

The minister has cautioned the students about small universities alluring them to make money in the garb of providing technical education in different countries by giving specious advertisements in the media.

The minister called upon the teachers to inculcate a spirit of patriotism and moral values among the students and ensure strict discipline so that the quality of education could be improved.

Mr Johar also announced a grant of Rs 1.20 lakh for the school building and Rs 50,000 for sports activities.

Mr Jagtar Singh Khatra, DPI (E), said the directions of the minister to provide yoga and gymnastic training to all students would be fully implemented.

Those present on the occasion included Mr Yash Paul Mehra, DEO (S), Ms Harvinder Kaur, DEO (P), Mr Brij Mohan Sharma, Mr Bittu Bhullar, Mr Inderjit Tony (all presidents, Block Congress Committee)

The winners of the Inter Zone Competition are: kabaddi (boys) Jagraon Zone First, Ludhiana zone second. Kabaddi (girls) Jagraon zone first, Ludhiana zone second, Kho-Kho (boys) Charanjit Singh Jagraon first, Gurdip Singh Ludhiana second. 100 meter race (girls) Puja Rani, Dehlon first; Baby Kumari Samrala second. 200 meters Race (Boys) Jasbir Singh, Ludhiana first, Harminder Singh Jagraon second.

Love Dale Club celebrates Gurpurb
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, November 21
Love Dale Club celebrated Gurpurab here today. Besides the fireworks and distribution of sweets, the Club organised a recitation and reading competition. The members were made aware of the importance of gurpurb . They were told brief life history of Guru Nanakji and asked to follow his teachings.

The members dressed in white sang Shabad with great devotion . The students that won prizes were Raunaq, Riva, Zoy, Tanya, Rohan and Kartikay from GropuI. from 11 Grooup Ayush, Impu Sanjola and Siddarth were awarded. From Group 111 Dirsh , Chirag, adeesh, Anishka and Lakshay won prizes and from Group 1V Muskan, Maheep and Harsh were the winners.

Children’s Day: A programme was organised at Government Model Senior Secondary School , Cemetry Road to celebrate Children’s Day here today.Mr Raksh Pandey, Minister was the Chief Guest. Addressing the students he said that the students should be inspired by the great deeds of noble men of the country . Paying tributes to Pandit Nehru , he said that credit goes to him for formation of modern India . He said these days the Govt school students were also getting almost the same facilities as the students of private schools.. Ms Sanjit Kaur also paid tributes to Pandit Nehru. The principal, Ms Manjit Kaur highlighted the achievements of the school. Ms Urmila read out the annual report . The students that had excelled in sports were honoured . The students presented a gala cultural programme comprising of songs and dance, skits and giddha. . Small children had participated in fancy dress competition .

NCC cadets get Army exposure
Our Correspondent

Doraha, November 21
Ten cadets of the local Guru Nanak National College attended an army attachment camp of 19 Punjab NCC Battalion, Ludhiana, with 5 Grenadiers under the command of Col I.J.S. Chauhan.

The cadets, Naresh Kumar, Amit Sharma, R.P. Pandey, Navneet Chauhan, Charnajeet Singh, Parminder Singh, Rajeev Rawat, Varinder Sharma, Harsimranjeet Singh and Mohinder Pal Singh, were educated about various arms and supporting weapons. The cadets also visited an armoured regiment and were introduced to tanks.

Various competitions, including drill, quiz, debate and basketball matches, were organised.

The best cadet award was won by Naresh Kumar. The debates were won by R.P. Pandey and Navneet Chauhan. The cadets also visited the Hussainiwala border and the joint check post.

CULTURE

‘Zen Katha’ wins hearts
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, November 21
“Zen Katha” staged by the Prime Theatre Company last night at Guru Nanak Bhavan went straight to the heart. The narrative, the gripping story, the acting, the costumes, the lights and the direction by Lillette Dubey made the play a memorable experience for viewers.

The Ludhiana Sanskritik Samagam organised the play.

The story of the play was written by Pratap Sharma after studying Bodhi Dharma, a Pallava prince of Kanchi. He had traced his spiritual journey from his birth till “nirvana”. The story transports the audience to 525 AD where Sugandha of Kanchi begets a scrawny, premature baby. The opponents want the baby to die, but Guru Prajanarath asks the king to spare his life and give him the baby. The guru names him Dharma.

Rajguru breathes life into him and teaches him yoga, meditation and art of fighting. Sanghmitra, his childhood companion, starts loving him and even follows him to China incognito. Slowly from a Brahmin, he turns into a Buddhist.

In the second half of the play, Dharma is asked to go to China to spread Buddhism. At that time he decides to assume the name of Bodhi Dharma. He meets the arrogant king Vo Tai of Liang dynasty. The king sends him away to a cave where he meditates. The monks of Shaolin beg him to come out of the cave and teach him ways of meditation. Through stories he teaches them Zen philosophy and martial art. Thus the martial art gained popularity in China.

Raja Dharma’s role was enacted by Gopal Krishna and Sandhya Mridul performed the role of Sanghmitra. The other members of cast were Vikrant Chaturvedi, Asif Beg, Pallavi Symons, Anu Menon and Pawan Singh.