Seminar on ‘Vigyan Prasar Sikhia da Aadhaar’
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, January 31
The Bharat Jan Gyan Vigyan Jatha, in coordination with the Punjab State Council for Science and Technology (PSCST), organised a science fair on “Vigyan Prasar Sikhia da Aadhaar” and a declamation contest and interactive session for students here yesterday at Government Model Senior Secondary School, PAU.

Hundred students from eight schools participated in the events.

Various models from different schools depicted the innovative skills of students on subjects like renewable energy resources, underground water conservation, rainwater harvesting, waste management and bio-protection.

The science fair was inaugurated by Mrs Gurdip Kaur, Principal of Government Model Senior Secondary School, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana.

Students participated actively in the discussion on how scientific knowledge makes a person develop rational thinking. Addressing the students Dr Arun Mitra, general secretary of the jatha said to develop scientific temper one must develop the capacity to shed outdated ideas and adopt new rationalist ideas based on knowledge, research and proof.

The schools which participated in the fair included Government Model Senior Secondary School, PAU, Ramgarhia Senior Secondary School for Boys, Navyug High School, Kirpa Nidhan Public High School, Government Girls High School, Ramgarh, Sargodha Senior Secondary School, SKSK Education Institute and St. Joseph Senior Secondary School, Dhandra Road Ludhiana.

The schools which were awarded are:

Science Fair — Government Girls High School Ramgarh, I; Government Senior Secondary Model School, PAU, 2; and St. Joseph School, 3.

Appreciation Award — Ramgarhia Senior Secondary Boys School, Sargodha, National Senior Secondary School, Navyug High School and Kirpa Nidhan School.

Declamation contest and interactive session — Mandeep Kaur- of Government Senoir Secondary School, PAU, 1; Palwinder Kaur of SKSK Education Institute,2; Shaminder Kaur of Navyug High school, 3.

Appreciation award — Harmeet Singh of Sargodha National School, Preeti Chandel of Navyug school and Meggha of Government Senior Secondary Model School, PAU.

Ms Kusum Lata Gowra demonstrated on “How to learn Science”.

10 colleges take part in declamation contest
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, January 31
SDP College for Women here organised the Ram Lal Bhasin Memorial Declamation Contest today on the college campus. The topics for the contest were education the best dowry for woman. Women’s increasing independence — Opening plethora of problems for women themselves, Media and images of woman today, Female foeticide — a challenge before women, Status of women in modern world and youth rise, Stand and face the world.

Teams from 10 colleges took part in the contest.

Ms Babita Kaler, Joint Commissioner, Municipal Corporation, Ludhiana, presided over the function. Mrs Sushil Gupta, Deputy Mayor, Municipal Corporation, Ludhiana was the guest of honour. Mr Balraj Kumar Bhasin President, SDP Sabha college Managing Committee and the Principal, Mrs S. Verma, welcomed the chief guest.

Seminar on oil conservation

Guru Nanak Girls College, Model Town, Ludhiana, organised a seminar on ‘oil and gas conservation-cum-safety clinic in collaboration with HPCL today. Principal Dr (Mrs) Charanjeet Mahal stressed the need to spread awareness about limited non-renewable fossil fuel, especially LPG.

Mr Amit Aggarwal, HPCL, discussed the various means to conserve LPG that could save up to 30 per cent LPG which was very useful. A quiz was also conducted on the safety of LPG. The Principal, gave away prizes to the winners.

UK team visit MLD high school

The delegation consisting of three educationists from the UK, along with four British students from Tavistock College, Devon (England), has visited the Mahant Lachhman Dass High School, Talwandi Kala. Mr Baldev Bawa, Principal, MLD High School, said in a press note the delegation had visited under the leadership of mr Geoff Orton, Director, Sixth Forum, Tavistock College, and was accompanied by Ms Lorraine Orton, Miss Nikki Bishop, British Hilton and Madeleine Selamen.

The delegation was here to boost educational links between institutes and would organise the seminars for staff members and students.

Earlier, Mr Charlie Naylor, Principal of Tavistock College, visited MLD High School in September. Mr Bawa said both institutes would start teaching techniques, teacher student exchange programmes and cultural activities programmes in future.

Fellowships for three PAU soil chemists
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, January 31
Dr Bijay Singh, Senior Soil Chemist, Department of Soils, Punjab Agricultural University, has been elected Fellow of the Indian National Science Academy.

The honour has been bestowed on him for his contribution in the field of efficient fertilizer use for sustainable cropping while ensuring better soil health and reduced environmental pollution.

He has 100 research papers in national and international journals to his credit and has been honoured with Rafi Ahmed Kidwai Memorial Prize of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, Fellowship of National Academy of Agricultural Sciences, besides other awards.

Similarly, Dr M.S. Brar and Dr Dinesh K. Benbi, Senior Soil Chemists, Department of Soils, have also been honoured with Fellowship of the National Academy of Agricultural Sciences.

Dr Brar has carried out work on potassium nutrition of crops and heavy metal pollution.

He has been honoured by the Fertilizer Association of India and the Indian Society of Soil Science.

Dr Dinesh Benbi has carried out pioneering work on soil and crop models. He has developed important research linkages of the PAU with German soil scientists.

Dr Yadvinder Singh, Senior Soil Chemist, has been honoured with the Recognition Award by the National Academy of Agricultural Sciences for his outstanding contributions in integrated nutrient management and crop residue management in rice-wheat cropping system.

He has also been honoured by the ICAR with Rafi Ahmed Kidwai Memorial Prize.

Govt College Principal retires
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, January 31
The Principal of Government College for Women, Ludhiana, Mrs Kusum Ahuja, retired today after 37 years in service. She was given a farewell by her staff and students at a special function organised in the college today. At the farewell party the Vice-Principal of College, Mrs N.K. Sekhon, appreciated the efforts and services rendered by her in two years of her tenure as Principal.

Mrs Paramjit Kaur, president, Teachers Union of the college, also praised the cooperative and hard-working nature of Mrs Ahuja.

Mrs Kusum Ahuja thanked the staff for their cooperation. 

CULTURE

His theatre is for the children
Asha Ahuja

Ludhiana, January 31
Utkarsh Marwah did a unique thing when he was just 15. He directed a play written by Safdar Hashmi with a cast that was much older than him. For his efforts his name was featured in the Limca Book of Records.

Utkarsh, an English honours graduate in mass communication from Delhi, is in the city in connection with his play “Life hi to hai” with a cast of 250 students of Ryan International School. The play is being staged at Guru Nanak Bhavan.

The play received rave reviews in Delhi. It has been written by Krishan Chander and is a satire. Talking to Ludhiana Tribune, he said, “I am very fond of theatre and got training under Ms Rekha Jain, of Children’s Theatre Movement called Umang. Utkarsh adds the play is a musical, larger than life and truly enjoyable.”

He adds,”Our plays do not want to give sermons. They definitely carry a message and it is up to the people to take it or leave it.”

Utkarsh has also staged play in Toyama, Japan, last year. Utkarsh said his play was the only one invited from India.

Utkarsh has been associated with NCERT and directed educational plays for CIET Channel and Gyan Darshan. His puppet plays for the National Book Trust have been very popular.

Presently he is theatre consultant with Ryan International. He has taken students from 80 branches of Ryan schools all over India for children’s theatre festivals in France and other countries.

Utkarsh says, “I am totally into children’s theatre. I want my plays to be interactive so that the children acting in it get the feel of the play and live up the roles.”

SPORTS

India have an edge over Pak
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, January 31
India have a clear edge over Pakistan and a fair chance of establishing supremacy in the coming Test and One-day International series to be held next month in India. This observation was made by Navjot Singh Sidhu here today.

Talking to the media, Navjot Singh said going by the recent performance of the Pakistan cricket squad in Australia, one could be sure that they were a totally demoralised group after receiving a harsh treatment from the hosts and West Indies. Whereas the Indian team was full of potential with a lot of newcomers who were in the line to prove their mettle.

Sidhu further said though we could boast of cricket stalwarts like Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Saurav Ganguly and opener Virender Sehwag, the new players were also displaying their skill and potential considerably.

When asked about off-spinner Harbhajan Singh’s action, he described the turbantor as one of the best spinners of the game.

Earlier, Navjot Singh Sidhu declared the annual athletics meet open. He took salute from a march past.

The highlight of the inaugural function was PT and drillshow, karate demonstration by the promising karatekas of the KVM School and an aerobics display.

Lala Lajpat Rai, former MP and manager of the school management committee, Mr S.C. Saxena, Principal of the school, and members of the Sports Department, Mr Ved Parkash, Mr Amit, Mr Tejeshwar Singh, Mr Anil , Mr Sandeep, Ms Anita Pandit and Ms Paramjit Grewal, along with parents of the students, attended the inaugural function.

DMCH staff win tug-of-war contest
Our Sports Reporter

Ludhiana, January 31
Undergraduate medical students of Dayanand Medical College and Hospital were in a jubilant mood today as it was a time to display their talent during the annual athletics meet, which was held at Punjab Agricultural University today.

Dr Daljit Singh, Principal, Dr J. Wig, Vice-Principal, Dr Sandeep Puri, Medical Superintendent, Dr Rajoo Singh Chhina, Medical Supertendent (P), Chairman, Sports Council, Dr P.S. Nain, Secretary, Sports Council, and Dr G.S. Bajwa, Convener, Sports Council, participated in the games.

The meet was inaugurated by Mr Dharm Veer Bector, Vice-President, the DMCH Managing Society. Dr Daljit Singh declared the meet open. The undergraduate students of Batch 2001 and 2002 then took out a march past.

The event was compered by Mukul Mohindra, joint secretary, Students Sports Council, DMCH. The major attraction of the day was a tug of war contest between the faculty and undergraduate medical students in which the former proved their supremacy. The teachers also participated in the 50-m race. Thereafter, faculty members and medical students of all five batches participated in athletic activities.

Results: (Faculty) - 50m race (Women) Dr Navjot Bajwa, 1, Dr Navpreet Aulakh 2, and Dr Anju Grewal 3; 50 m cace (Men)-Dr Davinderpal 1, Dr P.L. Gautam 2, Dr Sandeep Puri.

Student's events (Boys)- Marathon-Arihant Jain, (batch 2000) 1, Tejmeet (batch 2001) 2, Jaspreet (batch 2000) 3; 100 mts race (Girls)- Amandeep (batch 2003) 1, Gurmeen (batch 2001) 2, Sangeeta ( batch 2003) 3; 100 mts race (Boys)- Harry (batch 2000) 1, Sukhwinder (batch 2002) 2, Malik Mushtaq ( batch 2003) 3; 400 m race (Boys)- Malik Mushtaq, (batch 2003) and Amandeep Bath, ( batch 2002)1, Sukhwinder (batch 2002) 2, Harpreet (batch 2000) 3.

400-m race (Girls) - Gurmeen (batch 2001) 1, Vidushi, (batch 2002) 2, Preet, (batch 2004) 3; 400-m relay (Boys)- Raja Karamveer (batch 2001) 1, Arihant (batch 2000) 2, Sukhwinder (batch 2002) 3; 1500-m race (Boys) - Arihant (batch 2000) 1, Saurav (batch 2001) 2, Tejveer (batch 2001) 3; Long jump (Boys) -Abhinav (batch 2002) 1, Harjinder (batch 2000) 2, Amanjot (batch 2001) 3; Long jump (Girls)- Preeti (batch 2004) 1, Amandeep (batch 2003) 2, Anupam (batch 2001) 3; High jump (Boys)- Abhinav (batch 2001) 1, Amanjeet Bath (batch 2002) 2, Sukhwinder ( batch 2002) 3; Shot put (Boys)- Raja Karamveer (batch 2001) 1, Abhinav (batch 2001) 2, Sandeep (batch 2002) 3.