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CBSE tampering case: govt agency to handle probe
Chandigarh, December 27 The name of the agency has not been disclosed by the CBSE, which took the decision at a meeting chaired by the board’s Chairman at Delhi. Till the completion of the investigation, Mr Sanjiv and Rajiv, the assistants who had been transferred in connection with the case, will have to remain in the city to appear before the investigating agency. Meanwhile, in connection with the police inquiry being conducted on complaints of sexual harassment, the police today went to the Sector 32 office of the CBSE to record the statements of complainants. It will take some days before the report is finalised, said a police official.
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2004: IN RETROSPECT Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, December 27 The board directed its affiliated schools to evaluate the performance of students from Class I to Class V on the basis of a new scale system. At the end of current academic year, the students would be issued an achievement card, replacing the existing report cards. During the annual examination held in March this year, the board introduced scanned photos of the private candidates to check cases of impersonation and the centre superintendents were provided with attendance sheets with scanned photos of candidates. To prevent the leak of question papers at the examination centres, the board has deputed lecturers from universities and colleges as independent observers. The duties of the observers were rotated in such a manner that they were not on duty at a specific center for more than a day. As in the scam it was found that the tampering had been done at the secrecy centre, the board as a policy decided to change the secrecy centre every year. The result of 21 students involved in the scam was cancelled. Various other reforms were introduced to check the pilferage of answer books from the secrecy centre. Despite the stringent measures, a case of tampering with an answer book was reported at the Answer Book (AB) Cell of the regional office of the board. The regional office also tightened its noose around the private schools, which allowed its students to take tuitions during school timings. Action was taken against the schools, which allowed students from unaffiliated schools to appear as regular students in examinations. In this year’s board examination, girls were ahead of the boys in the Class X and XII examinations. The overall pass percentage of students in the region improved from 74.96 in 2003 to 79.92 in 2004.
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10-day NSS camp concludes
Chandigarh, December 27 Emphasis on awareness on HIV/AIDS, pollution and education was laid during the camp. The camp was inaugurated by Ms Indu Bala, Principal of the school. The participants were asked to inculcate the feeling of self-sufficiency and obey the elderly in the society. Mr Khazan Singh Vashisth, programme officer of the NSS, led the camp. Also, the NSS unit of the Dev Samaj College of Education, Sector 36, held a door-to-door campaign in Dadu Majra village to motivate villagers to donate blood. The campaign targeted at inspiring the youth to contribute to the noble cause. A street play was enacted to depict the suffering of children ailing from thalassaemia. The college unit also organised a medical check-up camp at
Government High School, Daddu Majra. It was conducted by Dr Anjali and Dr Sikander Singh. As many as 135 patients were examined at the camp. Dr Swamidas Mehta, dermatologist, talked about skin problems and methods to prevent them. The NSS unit of GGDSD College, Sector 32, is also organising various activities from December 22 to December 31. As part of the activities, Dr N.K. Sahni, Head, Post Graduate Department of Commerce and Management, gave a talk on personality development. Dr A.C. Vaid, Principal of the college, appreciated teachers for arranging such talks. Christmas
celebrations
A function was organised at Bal Bhavan, Sector 23, here to celebrate Christmas. Rev S.M. Daniel and Sister Shirley Daniel read out the Christmas message. Worship leader Grace Daneil sang hymns. Around 300 persons attended the ceremony. Santa Claus presented gifts to children. Doon Modern Public School, Kharar, also organised a function to celebrate Christmas. Students danced and sang carols, as Santa Claus distributed sweets among children and their parents. Races were organised for pre-nursery and senior secondary students. Mr Naresh Donald of Henderson Jubilee Senior Secondary School, Kharar, was the chief guest. Students also visited patients at the Civil Hospital, Kharar.
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Married to distance
The marital vow of ‘till death do us apart’ is facing the strains of modern life. Caught in the vortex of career- making, scores of couples are staying separately in different cities to pursue their ambitions at the cost of family ties.
Out of necessity or choice, the ever-status-hungry middle class seems to have finally acquiesced in the phenomenon of 'distance-relationships'. As a result of this the emotional moorings of a marital bond have taken a beating, says Sachin Sharma, a city-based psychiatrist. The young couples are so fanatic about their careers that it hardly matters to them whether their marriage or kids are thrown into disarray in the process, he adds. But Dr Sharma also stresses that ultimately it is how efficiently you handle the relationship, even from a distance. For a mature couple things can be adjusted to everyone’s liking but nevertheless prolonged separation has got its negative fall-out, he asserts. “My husband’s transfer to New Delhi came as a shock but then we decided to carry on with our professional obligations even if it meant staying separately,” says Mrs Rashmi Gupta, an insurance professional and a mother of two. Interestingly, Mrs Gupta sounds romantic about the whole issue, saying distance makes the heart grow fonder. She seems to be completely oblivious of the impact of the separation on their young kids and her marriage in the long term. " For children it is essential that they get guidance and affection from both parents.
Otherwise, they may develop negative personality traits and other problems,” says Dr Sharma. Mr S.L. Gupta, a sales manager with an MNC in Chandigarh, says, “ Most often the decision has to be taken under compulsion, but given today’s intense competition and struggle for a decent lifestyle there is no other choice.” His wife is staying in New Delhi and working with a Central Government enterprise. But this decision has proved too exacting for their 5-year-old daughter who misses her father and cannot eat or sleep properly. She has developed schizophrenic tendencies and lost her vivacity. Marital bonds, when subjected to such intense pressure, tend to develop cracks and the pangs of separation often yield place to complete indifference and a degree of insensitivity, says Mr Vaibhav Bhola, a city-based doctor. Increasing and continued distance, though initially kindles longing, leads to relationships losing their vigour and eventually breaking up, he adds. The need of the hour is to harmonise career with family and not to join the maddening race for a few bucks. It is equally necessary for the government as well as private enterprises to formulate family-friendly HR policies.
TNS
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New Year bash, entry for deep pockets only
The rhythm, harmony and buoyancy of the parties to be held to welcome the New Year are not for all. These carry a price tag and that too a costly one. You need a minimum of Rs 1,500 to be eligible for an entry to the good hotels.
All the major hotels of the city are preparing for the big bash on the eve of the New Year. There will be everything to celebrate and welcome the New Year. In the Hotel Mountview, there will be live dance performances, live band, interesting games and a disco jockey to set the mood for the party. And, of course, there will be delicious food and drinks too. This comes at Rs 2500 per couple and Rs 1500 for a single entry. In the Shivalikview, dance troupes and disco is the main attraction. For a couple, Rs 2000 and for a single Rs 1200 is the cost to enjoy all this. To enjoy the glare of disco and other attractions of the party at the Hotel Maya Palace, the price for a family is Rs 3200, for a couple 1500 while single entry is not allowed. All the parties will start from 8.30 pm onwards. On the security issue all the hotels are making elaborate arrangements. There will be a team of the security guards of the hotel and policemen and there will be a few guards to manage the traffic also. Mr
Rajiv Kapoor, a resident of Sector 22, finds it unreasonable to spend so much on a one day charm. “If I am to go along with my wife and three children I will have to shell about Rs 5,000. I find it ridiculous. I have convinced my children and will bring a good chocolate cake for them. I am sure that my party at home will be more warm,” he said. There are many family’s heads like him who hold the same view. Those not so lucky monetarily but eager to enjoy the full blast show have applied their mind. Take the example of 20-year-old Shyamvarn. Hailing from a conservative Meerut family, he is very certain that he will enjoy the New Year festivities to his full. In the city to pursue a professional course, he has arranged Rs 2000 with some ‘help’ from his friend’s. Now, he is eyeing for the big bash at one of the major city hotels. The cost of the one-night dining and partying might appear unreasonable to many. But you certainly cannot convince the high-spirited souls to go sober on an occasion like the New Year.
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Make things possible is his motto
City-based Gautam Singla, aka Sumeet, has set his aims quite high. Nothing less than a big recognition can satisfy him. It was this desire which made him choose the profession of modelling.
He was the BA first year student of S. D. College in Sector 32 when he started modelling. Participation in various NIFD fashion shows boosted his morale .The most memorable moment of life came when he was chosen as Mr North India 98. He has done various ramp shows with top models of India, including Shweta Menon, Meher Jessia, Helen Broady and others. He is regular to gym and work for the good health. His motto of life — to make the impossible possible — always helped him to handle the difficult times. He has tried to dabble in the other fields also. Getting some witty tips from the fashion photographers, printers, advertisers, film-makers, make-up artists, and choreographers made him more alert. Working in an ad campaigns of the NIFD was a good experience. Gautam was clear about his goals in his life. In fact, he knew that modelling is a short-lived profession and he left it to complete his MBA. Now he is running his own business in graphics in the city. He always tries to provide something new and unique to his clients and keep on experimenting on new technologies.
OC
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2004: IN RETROSPECT NIGHT life: The serene city woke up to the glamour-driven nightlife. Psychedelic lights, rocking music, fine blends, rings of cigarette smoke, sipping the beer, and moving on the dance floor until the wee hours were some of its high points of the late night parties in the city. It was a relaxing outlet for those working in “high-pressure” sectors, including marketing executives. While DJ played their best music, enthusiasts set the dance floor on fire. Oriental cuisine: The Oriental cuisine remained the first culinary preference of a sizeable number of city residents. Many new restaurants and food joints came up and offered oriental food peppered with exotic spices at competitive prices. Finally, experimentation with the changing taste of food lovers began. Pornography: City cyber cafes became the haunting ground for those looking for cheap porn thrills. Inspite of some crackdown on shops offering blue movies and VCDs, the business was as usual. Leading mobile-sellers also reported men spending quite a sum on loading obscene pictures in their phones Queen: Chandigarh-born Jeevika Shah won the Ms India World -2004 beauty pageants. A mother of two, Ms Shah also walked away with title of Mrs Perfect 10. By winning this title, she became the queen of many hearts. Reiki: Reiki as a healing art and stress-buster found many takers. More and more leaned towards it. Many organisations and centers offered free reiki healing and teaching session, which was quite unheard of three years ago. Shopping Craze: City residents were gripped by the shopping fever this time. Shopkeepers constituted prizes and competed against each other to woo them. The Diwali dhamaka and other festivals, including karvachauth, bhaiyaduj and Christmas saw the crowd going crazy for the shopping. High-end shoppers bought home theatres, flat TVs. When the festival for shopping comes nobody wanted to lag behind. Travel: The craze for spending holidays abroad increased among city people. Interestingly a trip to some foreign countries are much cheaper than the domestic tour. The concept of “view” your locations and living apartments on the screen before departing to tourist locations was introduced. This provided many the opportunities to ‘buy’ what they exactly want from a holiday package and plan accordingly. UNFORGETTABLE performance: It was a memorable moment when music director Ravi played “been” music at Rafi memorial night held in the city. Interestingly, he played it on harmonium and it was well appreciated. The “been” music was a hit in “Nagin”. Vivaha: This season saw major innovations and elaborations in the marriages scenario. Wedding ambience and wardrobes underwent a sea change. Fashion extravaganza unleashed for the grooms and brides. Designers dictated the terms ranging from the colour scheme of the “pandal” to the dress of kin of bride and bridegrooms. World Window: This time with the arrival of Fun Republic people relished a lot of Hollywood movies. A huge rush was seen at “Spiderman”, “Harry Potter”, “Lord of Rings”, and “Shriek 2”. X-factor: The fever of X-factor went higher among the city youth. Milan fashion scene and craving for the chiselled body saw them spend in thousands at slimming centers. A number of gyms, aerobics came up. Yoga: Swami Ramdev’s yoga camp held in Panchkula drew the people in thousands. This indicates a major change in the living style of people who turned toward it after exhausting their patience with allopathy. The times are changing people are getting health conscious and they do not mind shelling out the money for the yoga camps. Zany: A lots of zany things were seen specially among the youngsters. Many funny hairstyles with hair colouring, fusion dressing were tried on a larger scale by them this time. For the ‘adventurous’, it just became their way of life and college campus abundantly sported this tribe. S.K. (Concluded)
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Gursharan Singh
felicitated
Living the Shakespeare’s dictum “All the world is a stage” literally, octogenarian thespian Gursharan Singh, who has found a true calling in the theatre, reiterates ‘Every place is a stage for me, village Khera, a ground, a temple courtyard or an auditorium’.
With over 5,900 incredible stage performances, 13 books, 131 short plays, six full length plays, serials “Bhai Manna Singh” and “Dastaan-e-Punjab” and film “Man Jeete Jag Jeet” to his credit, he was bestowed with the prestigious Kalidas Sanmaan last year.
However, a grand felicitation from his associate actors, directors and theatre aficionados from the region has its own compelling charm , felt the exalted maestro while being given a rousing welcome at the Tagore Theatre gate during a function organised by the Suchetak Rang Manch, Mohali, to felicitate the grand old theatre icon for his lifetime achievements. Jatinder Brar, Vijay Tandon, Devinder Daman, Sanjeevan and over 180 artistes from the region welcomed him. The larger than life image of Gursharan Singh, affectionately revered as ‘Bhaa ji’ kept on swelling in the minds of the inquisitive audience before the activities shifted to the stage. A slide show “Sirrdh Nu Salaam” (A salutation to resolute commitment) depicted him as a crusader for justice to the suppressed, downtrodden with passionate concern for the victims of the aristocrat governance, for which he fought with an unflinching zeal and devotion. Produced and perceived by Anita Shabdeesh, the show rightly projected Gursharan as an epitome of uprightness and simplicity as a scientist and later a social worker, comrade and theatre person equally supported by wife Kailash Kaur and daughters, Dr Ardeep and Navreep, now in Canada. The manch also staged a Punjabi play “Sukhi basse Maskiniya” written by Gursharan, which brings alive the gap between the old adherence to moral values by a retired schoolteacher (Sunny Gill) and the activities of politician addict smuggle son Avtar Singh (Suvinder Pal Singh). As a mark of respect to Gursharan Singh, Natyam Abhinet Rangmach came all the way from Jaitu (Bhatinda, to stage “Mein Phir Awanga” in Punjabi. The play depicted the sacrifices made by Bhagat Singh for securing freedom for the country and how their efforts are being mocked at by the people and government while celebrating their anniversaries. The potent patriotic theme enacted nicely in the rustic background was very close to reality. Jagdeep Singh, Raman Deep, Pushpinder Kumar, Gagan Deep Kuldip Kaur and Karan Deep Kaur formed the cast of the play written by Palli Bhupiner and directed by Keerti Kirpal.
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