The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Chandigarh Stories

PEC Director-designate visits city
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 14
Director-designate of Punjab Engineering College Prof Vijay Gupta, on his first visit to the city after selection as director, interacted with faculty members of the college.

Talking to the Tribune, Prof Gupta said he wanted the college to become a centre of excellence. At present he was working in the Aerospace Engineering Department, IIT Kanpur. The college is one of the best centres of engineering in north India.

On his experience at the IIT, he said, “I would make efforts to bring the college on a par with IIT, provided I get the support from the quarters concerned”.

“I am yet to make up my mind on the areas of priority. Let me settle down and understand the functioning of the college,” he said adding that we assume charge mid February.

Earlier in the day, he interacted with the faculty members of the college, including the present Director, Dr Baljeet Kapoor. Accompanied by his wife, he went round the college campus.

He also met the Adviser and the Home Secretary before leaving for Delhi in the evening.

Principals resent order banning co-curricular activities
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 14
The principals of government schools in the city have reacted adversely to an order passed by the UT Education Department over “banning” the co-curricular activities in and outside the school premises.

Taking away the powers of the principals to allow such activities, which enable students to broaden their perspective about their surroundings and be more articulate, the District Education Officer (DEO) has directed them to stop such practices.

The order reads, “Such a practice should be stopped immediately and in future approval of the competent authority of the department must be obtained”. A senior officer in the department said the order was meant to check certain NGOs, which had a commercial angle behind their activities. Certain organisations in the name of co-curricular activities advertised their products.

Commenting on the order, principals of some of the schools said by the time approval came from the DEO office, the event would be over. In the past, events like debates, painting competitions, embroidery contest, quiz, knitting and essay writing were being held in schools as the principals took the decision at their own level. There were over 100 government schools in the city.

Students were also taken on educational tours by private organisations and for participation in events outside the schools. On several occasions, the winners in such activities were given prizes, which encouraged them to sharpen their talents.

The principals said on condition of anonymity that the order passed by the DEO should have clearly spelt out the parameters, which should govern the holding of such activities in schools. “It is the department which has to draw a line between promotional and genuine activity. Clear-cut guidelines to judge the commercial aspect of any activity should be spelt out,” said a lecturer.

Law student writes to Justice Roy
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 14
A law student belonging to the city has sought probe into the circumstances in which a complaint case filed by him was transferred by two Judicial Magistrates. In a letter to the Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, Mr Justice B.K. Roy, the student — Vikram Batra — has also sought directions to the trial court for “time-bound” disposal of the case. Mr Justice Roy is also the Inspecting Judge of Chandigarh Sessions Division.

Mr Batra has claimed in the letter that applications were filed for declaring two accused proclaimed offenders as they had not been appearing before the court in the complaint case filed by him.

Written arguments were submitted and the case was fixed for further hearing on November 20 last year. But was referred to the Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) for placing the matter before some other court. Reasons for the action were not specified.

He has added that both the parties appeared before another court on November 27 after the matter was placed before it by the CJM. But was once again referred back to the CJM. Again reason for sending back the case was not specified.

Claiming to have been shocked by the developments, Mr Batra has added that a thorough inquiry was necessary for finding out the reasons behind their refusal to hear the case.

Meenakshi has Govind Nihalani’s Midas touch
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 14
Meenakshi Sharma has several traces of Govind Nihalani’s cinematic genius. Had it not been for the legendary film maker’s Midas touch, an apparent fledgling would not have created a product as fine as “Dev.”

While “Dev’s” realistic script occupies its rightful place alongside Javed Akhtar’s “Lakshya”; Priyadarshan’s “Hulchul”, Ashutosh Gowariker’s “Swades” and Yash Chopra’s “Veer-Zaara”, its writer is busy enjoying motherhood in the city. Her visage is humble, as is her views point: “I am proud of “Dev”. It’s a bare-all film which deals with the deepest fears of common people, trails their toughest emotional battles against the mess of communalism, explores their dilemmas against the backdrop of violence. I am happy that my characters have caught people’s attention for the sheer realism they exude. Winning Star-Screen Awards is not as important to me as is the fact that the content of the film has been honoured.”

Nominated in the best script category for this year’s Star-Screen Awards, “Dev” has literally emerged from the bedrock of Meenakshi’s experience. As daughter of Mr S.R. Sharma, retired DGP, Punjab, who witnessed the dark phase of terrorism in Punjab, Meenakshi always knew what it meant to be in the police forces. “I grew up in the lap of fear. Daily we would hear about my father’s colleagues being shot dead. Violence was the only constant in the ever changing equation of life and death. Everything was at stake - from life to ideology.”

This and much more forms the genesis of “Dev” which explores sensitive issues like the very legitimacy of the state police forces and the clash of ideologies in given situations.

For his part, Mr Sharma is elated with the quality of his daughter’s product. Had the film not been exclusive enough, Amitabh Bachchan and Kareena Kapoor would not have offered to act in it. As Mr Sharma says, “It’s not so easy to make tragedies. But Nihalani consented to direct “Dev” and gave it a Shakespearean touch.

The daughter concurs, and adds, “From Govind Nihalani I have imbibed the art of realistic cinema. His works are unpretentious, and they always serve a purpose. That’s what breathes fresh life into his cinema.” Having worked with Nihalani on productions like “Sanshodhan”, “Hazaar Chaurasi ki Ma”, “Deham” and “Takshak,” Meenakshi can’t help aiming high. She admits, “When I first met Nihalani in Mumbai he already knew I wanted to be a director. He even told me that in so many words. I simply nodded in admission.”

Time has come for Meenakshi to honour that confession!