The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Chandigarh Stories

Academic excellence is hallmark of this school

The main aim of education is to ensure physical, mental and spiritual development of a child. Imparting education is the greatest service to God. Shastri Model School was established in April, 1974, with a view to strengthen educational facilities in Mohali and to help children imbibe the ideals of Lal Bahadur Shastri.

Founder Principal Sudesh Sewak, who left for heavenly abode on February 12, 2004, was the spirit and force behind this educational project. The institution is being run on ‘no profit no loss’ basis. Fees here are substantially lower than those being challenged by other institution in the area.

The school is affiliated to the Punjab School Education Board since 1988. Academic excellence is the hallmark of this school. Since its beginning, it is known for 100 per cent board result with merits and distinctions.

The medium of instruction is English exclusively up to Class V, while the students of Classes from VI to X have the choice of opting for English, Hindi or Punjabi. There are medium-wise separate sections.

At the senior level, regular tests are conducted on weekly and monthly basis. The school has always been in the forefront in all activities.

The SDM, Mohali, Mr M.L. Sharma, honoured the school Principal and five teachers in view of 100 per cent result for board classes on August 15, 2004. In Bharat Ko Jano GK test, conducted by the Bharat Vikas Parishad, students of this school captured first positions in both senior and junior categories.

The Deputy Speaker, Lok Sabha, Mr Charanjit Singh Atwal, gave cash awards to three brilliant students of the school. The awards, sponsored by a Hindi daily, carried amounts of Rs 5,100, Rs 3,100 and Rs 2,100. Class X students, Jatin Monga and Sarbjit Singh, stood second in a district-level science exhibition held on November 5, 2004.

In an inter-school lecture contest on female foeticide, arranged by the Civil Surgeon, Ropar, students of this school bagged the first position. Students from 13 schools had participated in the contest.

The school has well-stocked library. To encourage competition among students, Ms Sudesh Sewak Scholarship has been instituted for students scoring 90 per cent marks in Classes VIII and X.

Principalspeak

Education is a continuous and creative process. Besides ensuring physical and mental development of its students, every school should also emphasise on their spiritual development also. Every child should be given spiritual education form the very beginning. It should be trained in principles of religion. The parents and teachers can do this by putting in joint efforts.

Moreover, the traditional approach of imparting education should not be ignored, rather it should be modified to suit the modern circumstances and the needs of society.

LEISURE

‘Sirhind di Diwaar’ in city shortly

The Harpal Tiwana Foundation is bringing to Chandigarh one of the finest plays from the repertoire of the legendary Harpal Tiwana. Called “Sirhind di Diwaar”, the historical play is among the most famous and grandiose productions of Harpal Tiwana whose theatrical ideals are being pursued by his disciples at the Harpal Tiwana Foundation.

Earlier during the year, the production had opened to an overwhelming response at the Patiala Heritage Festival. Highlight of the show was the presence of the illustrious Jagjit Singh who has given music for the production. This time around Jagjit Singh will not be present for the show, but his music will be there to charm the Chandigarh audience.

Speaking about the production, Manpal Tiwana, creative director of the Harpal Tiwana Foundation says, “The history of the play goes back to 1965 when Harpal Tiwana presented the play on a similar theme in collaboration with Harcharan Singh. It was first presented at Shanmukh Nanda Hall, Mumbai and later it travelled all over India, especially Punjab. In those days the play was commended by the likes of Balraj Sahni and Prithvi Raj Kapur.”

Recreating a production already so celebrated has not been easy for Manpal Tiwana, who used to feature in the play with his father as the director. The experience has however been enriching for a son who has structured the play as a tribute to his father, also his teacher. After returning from London where he studied at the Royal Academy of Arts, Manpal not only took over the reins of his father’s legacy, he also decided to recast old productions in new formats.

“Sirhind di Diwaar” is one among the few productions that derive from the past and cater to the future. At the heart of the show is the martyrdom of sahibzaadas who sacrificed their all at the altar of justice. For his part, Manpal Tiwana did not compromise on any aspect of the production, He got Jagjit Singh to sing shabads, got the music recorded professionally in the best studios of Mumbai, and instilled the cast with perfection. Such has been the level of his commitment to the play that even Jagjit Singh has had to remark, “Manpal has done justice to his father’s legacy. I am happy to have sung for him.”

As the play readies to open in Chandigarh on April 23, Manpal Tiwana is giving it some final touches. He has a lot to put into place. But his foremost concern is conviction – the one that reminds the viewers of his father and mentor Harpal Tiwana. TNS

‘Dhukdey Kaleeray’ uncovers miseries of girl’s life

Well-known theatre director Nirmal Rishi directed another play, “Dhukdey Kaleeray”, revolving around the helplessness of a woman. The play was presented on Sunday night at Balraj Sahni open air auditorium, Punjabi Bhavan by the Alive Artist Group supported by the Punjabi Sahit Akademi.

Like her earlier play, “Savi”, “Dhukdey Kaleeray” brings out the miseries of a girl as she has no right over her life and is treated as a commodity to fulfil the whims of her father and a brother who is hell-bent on going to a foreign land.

The story revolves round a sarpanch who wants to send his only son to a foreign land at any cost. One of the touts calls a 60-year-old NRI who strikes a bargain for taking his son abroad by arranging his marriage with sarpanch’s daughter.

The eldest daughter fed up of being married in this fashion four times, dies of a broken heart.

Now, the younger daughter knows of the mental torture undergone by her sister and refuses to marry, but nonetheless the NRI and the father strike a bargain without the daughter being aware of it.

The preparations of marriage get under way in very surreptitious manner.The girl is forced to get married to the old man. Helpness of the girl is brought out who is traded like a commodity.

There is a satire about young people dying to go abroad. A young Bihari servant tells the youngman that the status they get here in Punjab would be exactly his status in Canada.

Nirmal Rishi has directed the play well and brought out the acting talents of Sonjit and Sukhpal to the fore.

Dialogue delivery was good and so were the sets. The chief guest on the occasion was Padama Bhushan S.S. Johal. OC