Degrees awarded to 197 students at PAU convocation
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, April 15
Dr Kirpal Singh Aulakh, Vice Chancellor, PAU, today conferred degrees upon 197 students, who did their graduation and postgraduation from the varsity at its annual convocation held here today. Students were also awarded merit certificates and gold medals.

Dr S Nagarajan, Director Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, was the chief guest.

Dr Avtar Singh Atwal Gold Medal was awarded to Mr A Srinivasan, Mr Harmandeep Singh Khurana, Mr Jawala Jindal and Ms Blossom in recognition of having been adjudged the All-Round Best Student in Master’s Programme in 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2004, respectively. Sardar Kartar Singh Kahlon Gold Medal for 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2003 was awarded to Ms Anureet Kaur, Mr A Srinivasan, Mr Harmandeep Singh Khurana and Ms Blossom, respectively, in recognition of having been adjudged the best All Round Student in Master of Science (Agriculture).

Lala Sri Ram ji Gold Medal was awarded to Mr Kavish Dhanda and Ms Ameet Kaur in recognition of having secured the highest overall credit point average in Master of Business Administration programme for 2001 and 2002, respectively. Sardar Bahadur Lal Singh Gold Medal for 2001, 2002 and 2003 was awarded to Mr Gurdarshan Singh, Mr M Tamil Selvan and Ms Gagandeep Kaur, respectively, in recognition of securing the highest overall credit point average in Master of Science (Pomology).

Dr S.C. Dutt Gold Medal for 2001 and 2003 was awarded to Ms Barinderjit Kaur and Mr Ashwani Kumar Singh, respectively in recognition of having secured the highest overall credit point average in the Master of Veterinary Science programme. Dr Gurbaksh Singh Gill Gold Medal for 2001-2004 was awarded to Ms Pawandeep Kaur, Mr Kuljinder Singh, Ms Tarundeep Kaur and Ms Mandeep Kaur, respectively.

Dr K Kirpal Singh Gold Medal for 2003 was awarded to Ms Monika Gupta in recognition of having been adjudged the Best All Round Student in Master of Science (Food Technology). Bhai Bal Mukand Gold Medal was awarded to Ms Kirti Jindal, Ms Deepti and Ms Puja for 2001-2003, respectively. Sardar Iqbal Singh Dhillon Gold Medal was awarded to Mr Rahul Kapur for 2003.

Dr Sardar Singh Gold Medal was awarded to Mr Gaurav, Mr Jawala Jindal and Ms Blossom for 2001-2003, respectively. Dr Narinder Singh Randhawa Gold Medal was awarded to Mr Harmandeep Singh Khurana and Mr Mohammad Firose AS for 2002 and 2004, respectively.

Dr B R Sharma Gold Medal was awarded to Mr Salesh Kumar Jindal, Mr Ashish Saxena and Mr Naveen Garg for 2002, 2003 and 2004, respectively.

Dr P N Thapar Gold Medal was awarded to Mr Navdeep Aggarwal, Mr Gaurav and Ms Ravneet Kaur Mahal for 1996, 2000 and 2001, respectively. Dr M S Randhawa Medal was awarded to Mr Sominder Singh Juneja, Mr Sunish Kumar Sehgal and Ms Gurpreet Kaur for 2001, 2002 and 2003 respectively.

Dr S Nagarajan, also awarded the Meritorious Teacher Award for 2001-2002 to Dr HN Khajuria, Professor of Forestry. Dr V K Dilawari, Professor of Ecology and Dr B S Sohal, Professor of Biochemistry were awarded with Meritorious Teacher Award for 2002-2003. Meritorious Teacher Award for 2003-2004 was given to Dr B S Sidhu, Professor of Soils. Awards of Plaque for 2001-2002 and 2002-2003 were given to Dr V K Saxena, Senior Maize Breeder and Dr I K Garg, Senior Research Engineer, Department of Farm Power and Machinery, respectively for their outstanding contributions in teaching, research and extension.

Dr H S Rewal, Senior Extension Specialist and Dr Amrik Singh Sohi, Professor of Entomology were awarded with Merit Certificates for 2002-2003. Dr Amrik Singh Sandhu, Director of Extension Education was honoured with Sh Hans Raj Pahwa Award for 2001. Dr M S Randhawa Best Book Award for 2000 was given to Dr S S Parihar (Retd) Professor, Dr P RGajri, Dr D K Benbi and Dr V K Arora for writing the book entitled “Intensive Cropping Efficient Use of Water Nutrients and Tillage”.

Dr Sukhdev Singh Prize for Essay and Oration for the year 2000-2001 was given to Mr Pardeep Goyal, Mr Harmandeep Singh Khurana and Ms Anu Kalia (Ph.D, student), got the second prize. Dr Satwant Kaur Memorial Best Extension Worker Award for the year 2004 to Dr Sat Pal Mehra, Senior Extension Specialist (Agronomy).

300 students awarded prizes
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, April 15
Fancy dress competition and prize distribution function of the senior section of Kundan Vidya Mandir were held here today. Students were honoured for their achievements in extracurricular activities. More than 300 students were awarded prizes by Mr S.C. Saxena, Principal of the school.

Palak Goyal (Class IX) was honoured for securing first position in mehndi and geography exhibition. She also bagged the second prize in mathematics and physics exhibition, besides winning a prize for 100 per cent attendance. Aneesh Bhatia (Class X) was awarded second prize in extempore speech and GK quiz. He also won first prize in mono-acting and a consolation prize for compereing.

Some other awardees were: Karan Khangura (Class X1) second in English declamation, Tehseen Abbas (Class XII) second in Hindi declamation and third in poetry recitation.

This was followed by an inter-House fancy dress competition. The judges were Dr Rachna Jainer, an alumni of the school and Ms Sushma Miglani, lecturer, Arya College for Women, Ludhiana.

Results: first — Manik Bajaj for “Statue of Peace”; second — Raghav Aggarwal for “Srinagar-Muzaffarabad bus”; third — Sajan Sharma for “Shanivaar” and consolation prize — Vedika Thapar for “Ballerina”.

Overall results: Tagore House stood first followed by Gandhi and Patel House.

Cassettes on Khalsa Panth released
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, April 15
As part of celebrations of the birth of Khalsa at Gurudwara Kalgidhar Sahib, chairman of gurdwara committee Gurcharan Singh, along with activists of the Sikh Students Federation, released a set of two audio cassettes of a Sikh scholar, Giani Pinderpal Singh, here today.

Recorded by T-Series, the cassettes focus on the special entity of Khalsa (khalse da niyarapan). Mr Gurcharan Singh Grewal, president, Mr Paramjit Singh Khalsa, Mr Gurmeet Singh, Mr Pritam Singh, Mr Major Singh, Mr Gurjit Singh Gaggi, Mr Paramjit Singh Dharam Singh Wala, Mr Kuljit Singh and Mr Balwant Singh were also present.

HEALTH

PCMSA against privatisation of healthcare
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, April 15
The Punjab Civil Medical Services Association (PCMSA) has urged the state government to review the proposed privatisation of health institutions in the wake of the observations of Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh that the step might lead to the health facilities going out of reach of the poor and weaker sections.

In a statement here today, the state president of the association, Dr Hardeep Singh, asked the Punjab Chief Minister, Capt Amarinder Singh, not to go ahead with the privatisation of health facilities in the state. The government should rather implement the proposal of the restructuring of infrastructure and manpower of health services, put forward by the High Power Cabinet Committee headed by Health Minister R. C. Dora in August, 2003, and accepted by the government.

The proposed restructuring would improve the quality of healthcare and access of poor to health services. The PCMSA reiterated its opposition to the policy of privatisation, either directly or on profit-sharing basis between the government and entrepreneurs.

Dr Hardeep Singh maintained that any form of privatisation would hinder the access of the masses to the healthcare facilities.

Admn intervention sought into dismissal of nurses
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, April 15
Crying foul over the dismissal of two nurses of Hero DMC Heart Institute by the management, the ad hoc committee of the Dayanand Medical College and Hospital Employees Union has asked the district administration to intervene and ensure justice to the employees who are allegedly being victimised.

A deputation of the committee, led by its convener, Ms Amardeep Jakhu, met the Deputy Commissioner, Mr Anurag Verma here today to apprise him of the “highhandedness” of the management. She alleged that the services of two nurses of HDHI, Ms Gurwinder Kaur and Ms Lakhwinder Kaur, were terminated on the ground that they had failed to file replies to the chargesheets served upon them. In fact, both the nurses had submitted their explanations to the authorities and the receipts of the submission of replies to the chargesheets were in their possession.

The employees maintained that despite repeated efforts made by the functionaries of the ad hoc committee, the management had failed to initiate talks with the representatives of the employees for the redressal of their problems and pending demands. Moreover, the management while continuing its policy of victimisation and harassment towards the employees, was not paying due attention to the development of the institution or creating a congenial work atmosphere for the employees.

Seeking immediate intervention of the administration, the ad hoc committee urged that all harsh decisions of the management be revoked and dispensation of justice to the employees be assured in future.

SPORTS

Basketball trials on April 18
Our Sports Reporter

Ludhiana, April 15
The Ludhiana District Basketball Association (LDBA) will conduct trials to select the Ludhiana junior teams (boys and girls) here at the indoor hall of Guru Nanak Sports Complex on April 18 at 4 pm.

According to Mr Teja Singh Dhaliwal, honorary general secretary, LDBA, players born on or after January 1, 1987 are eligible for the trials. The selected boys and girls will represent Ludhiana in the 56th Punjab State Junior Basketball Championship scheduled to be held at Mansa from April 21 to 24. The aspirants have been advised to report to Mr B S Brar at the venue on Monday.

Wrestler attributes success to coach
Our Correspondent

Khanna, April 15
Wrestler Gurdev Singh who had won silver medal in junior wrestling World Cup, held in Bulgaria, said his coach Mansa Singh was behind his success. Mansa Singh was running an akhara in Malikpur, village five km from here where several wrestlers was doing practice and getting special training.

Gurdev Singh (19) already had won the Bharat Kumar award in a competition organised at Mananhana in Hoshiarpur district from march 11 to 13 this year. Gurdev Singh said in the world cup the wrestlers of 16 countries had participated. He said the world cup, organised from April 1 to 3, was a great experience for him.

Meanwhile, Iqbal Singh and Jatinder Singh Grewal, president and coach of the district Amateur Boxing Association, Ludhiana district, had felicitated the wrestler.