Chandigarh, March 11
Government College, Sector 11, held its annual prize-giving function today. Mr Krishan Mohan, IAS, Home-cum-Education Secretary, UT, Chandigarh, presided over the function and gave away the prizes to the outstanding students.

Principal of the college Pahlad Aggarwal read the annual report of the college. As many as 242 students were given prizes. Twentyseven students were awarded roll of honour in academics, one in public speaking, one in quiz and four awards went to students for excelling in sports.

Mr Krishan Mohan was of the view that all avocations were equally good and suggested the students to utilise their precious time intelligently. He also said students should work hard in this competitive world.

College colours were given to 21 students — five in sports category, one in quiz, six in blood donation, two in creative writing, one in public speaking, one in music, one in NCC Army Wing and four for Central Association of Students. On the basis of academic performance in house tests, 216 students were awarded prizes and certificates.

The outstanding students in academics were Amritpal Singh, Vishal Gupta, Salil Sharma, Amrit Sangar, Siddharth Kochhar, Akhilesh Gupta, Lalit Jain, Sandeep Kumar, Manoj, Yogesh Luthra and Manoj Singh.

Among girl students who have brought glory to the college in academics were Ravneet Kaur Arora, Rashmi Solanki, Sahbina Kapoor, Meena Garg, Shelza, Sanwari Sharma and Harleen.

The best athlete, Virinder Singh, was also honoured. Lalit Jain and Gaurav were honoured for being outstanding speakers of the college. Manish and Rajnish got college colours for creative writing. Umesh Bhardwaj, Vijay Paul, Rajneesh Gupta, Shailender Kumar, Shammi Kumar and Vishal Garg were honoured for donating blood for more than five times. Deepak Pawar was honoured for his performance in instrumental music and Sameer Nagra got the prize for being Cadet in Chandigarh Group in NCC Army Wing.

Mohali, March 11
As many as 300 graduates were given degrees in the arts, commerce and home science streams at a convocation and prize distribution function held at Government College, Phase VI, here today.

The prizes were given away by Ms Rajinder Kaur Bhattal, Deputy Chief Minister, Punjab, who was the chief guest at the function which was presided over by Mr Bir Devinder Singh, MLA, Kharar.

The convocation was held for two sessions, 2002-2003 and 2003-2004. The roll of honour for the session 2003-04 was awarded to two students. College colour for the two sessions was awarded to 36 students. Academic prizes based on the performance in the house examinations held in December, 2004, and prizes for sports, NCC, NSS and cultural activities for the session 2004-05 were given to 315 students. Memorial awards for the two sessions were given to 25 students.

The Principal of the college, Ms Mandeep Kaur, read out the annual report. She also brought to the notice of Deputy Chief Minister various problems being faced by the college.

Earlier, Mrs Bhattal inaugurated the hostel building for boys which was constructed at a cost of about Rs 46 lakh.

Talking to mediapersons, the MLA, said Ms Bhattal had reallocated funds to the tune of Rs 69.34 lakh so that the building of the college could be completed. The funds had earlier been earmarked for another college which could not be used due to some dispute there. The orders for reallocation were given yesterday.

Chandigarh, March 11
The Shimla NCC Group has been adjudged as the best group in Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Chandigarh NCC Directorate for the 2004-05 academic year.

The championship banner was presented to the Shimla Group Commander, Col Amarjit Singh, by the Deputy Director- General NCC, Brig D S Dhillon, at a ceremony organised in Patiala, a statement issued here today said.

Commanders of all eight NCC groups in the region as well as other NCC officers attended the ceremony.

Speaking on the occasion, Brigadier Dhillon expressed appreciation of the hard work put in by the cadets as a result of which the directorate secured the third position among 16 directorates during the 2005 Republic Day Camp in New Delhi.

Leisure

Genius of Kaifi Azmi brought alive

Music maestros opt to be performers while young and at the fag end of their career resort to teaching but the exceptions are always there as the accomplished sitarist Pushpa Verma felt otherwise. Armed with a 35 years of teaching experience at the Post graduate level coupled with long practicing session, Pushpa Verma is a class apart if her sitar recital at the Pracheen Kala Kendra today was any indication.

An A grade artist of All-India Radio and Doordarshan unassuming Pushpa is a complete classical artiste having proper education and training in vocal music, Instrumental and Kathak dance learnt form the musicologists like Bhagwan Dass Saini, Lachhman Singh Seen, Swami Keshav Nanda respectively. Her being versatile in all realms of art was of immense help to her while heading the department of Instrumental music at Government College for girls here.

Pushpa Verma bared melody of popular raag ‘Kirwani’ with elaboration of the alaap before moving on to the Jod alaap and the crisp ‘Jhalla’. She maintained the melodic element of the raag in the slow tempo of Vilamabat gat and the fast paced ‘Drut ‘ composition both set to a rhythmic pattern of sixteen beats. The conclusion too was impressive which finally came through a ‘dhun’ in melodious raag bhairavi but in a six beat ‘dadra taal’. Dr Mahendra Parsad of Benaras gharana maintained the melody meter on tabla. The Kendra director M.L. Koser honoured the artists.