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200 PTU students awarded degrees
Chandigarh, June 15 Expressing these views during the first convocation of Punjab Technical University (PTU), Distance Education Programme, comprising Chandigarh and Ropar district, which held here today, Ms Rajinder Kaur Bhattal, Deputy Chief Minister, Punjab, said PTU was proud of its presence in the Punjab and other parts of the country through its distance education programme. “Distance educational programme of PTU continues to be the largest educational programme in the region where thousands of students have been trained” she said. Ms Bhatttal presented degrees to more than 200 students on the occasion. Dr S.K. Salwan, Vice-Chancellor of PTU, said that degrees were awarded to passouts of M.Sc (IT) and PGDCA courses of session 2001-03. “Keeping up with the spirit of open university system and in accordance with the national policy of education which lays emphasis on continuing and distance education, the university is running many undergraduate and post-graduate courses in various disciplines in the rural and urban areas,” Dr Salwan said. Mr Gurmeet Singh, Managing Director of GCS Computer Tech. Pvt. Ltd., said in a country like India, distance education was an effective way of spreading education and technology.
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Training students in self-defence
Chandigarh, June 15 The academy has been set up by the All-India Anti-Terrorist Front. Mr Rajesh Sharma, president of the local unit, is organising the camp in consultation with Col. K D Pathak (retd). At least 200 to 250 students are participating in the camp. Mr Sharma said: “These exercises help students in gaining confidence and helps them in the art of self-defence. We organise the camp free of cost. A lot of queries are coming in every day from girls.” Sneha, a resident of Sector 38 said: “It is very useful and gives me a lot of confidence while walking in the public. I actually feel more confident after joining the camp.” “My mother told me to join this camp and I am coming here from the past two years. I have learned a lot of things and love coming here,” says Ishant, a Class II student.
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Summer workshop concludes
Chandigarh, June 15 The three-week summer camp held from May 26 to June 14, included various activities like drawing, painting, western, classical and Punjabi folk dance, soft-toy making and English speaking classes. The fun filled evening, saw the tiny tots zestfully involved in showing off their creative wares, from painted pots to little stuffed dolls. Mr Jagtar Singh Sidhu, president, Chandigarh Press Club, was the chief guest on the occasion which had best of everything the children had learnt and worked upon in the 20 days. A painting exhibition and a cultural display were the highlights of the evening, which saw a host of young children resplendent in their colourful costumes queuing up for the various dances of the evening.
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Gauba’s name
proposed for directorship
Chandigarh, June 15 The PU Syndicate, at its meeting on June 18, will take a final decision on his appointment as Director of the institute. The BDS course at the university is expected to start from October.
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Man gets life term for murder
Panchkula, June 15 Avtar Singh had been discharged by the court in the murder case on June 13.
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An American’s love for dhol
Chandigarh, June 15 Gibb Schreffler is a connoisseur of the rich Punjabi cultural heritage. Obsessed
with the vitality of Punjabi folklore, he explored its diverse facets through an exhaustive study. Having registered himself as a research scholar he landed in Chandigarh and learnt Punjabi. “Where there is will, there is a way,” says Gibbs, adding that Garib Das living in Dadumajra was his mentor.
Research in dhol playing and bhangra resulted in a thesis “Out of dhol drums”. The work examined the rhythm repertoire of Punjabi dhol, and its
correlation with Punjabi dances. The dissertation won him an M.Phil degree. Gibbs had completed his thesis on current research for Ph.D on the place of dhol in Punjabi culture under the Fullbright — Hays grant. Gibbs maintains that the dhol was introduced in India via the Persian drumtype dhol. He gave a detailed account of his research work from the origin of dhol, later played by the Mirassis, Dooms, Bazigars and Bharayis. He is indebted to artistes like D.S. Sekhon and academicians Dr Attar Singh, Mrs Gurdip Tiwana and Prof Rajpal Singh. He goes as an ambassador of Punjabiat to the world, says Mr Rajpal Singh,
secretary-general, Punjabi Sangeet Natak Academi. |
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Musical tribute to Sahir
Chandigarh, June 15 (My poetic creations are reflections of events and experiences, the world offered me) sharing the pain and anguish, invincible poet Sahir Ludhianvi dedicated the realms of his poetry to the intrusive literature and art-loving people. The intensity and ardour of Sahir’s poetry with its compelling charm was brought alive by artistes of the Majlis Journalists and Artistes Association today as they paid a musical tribute to the legendry poet of protest at Tagore Theatre on Tuesday. The captivating programme of songs and ghazals directed and presented by Reeta Sharma continued till late evening wherein 45 lyrical compositions penned by Sahir from hit films were presented. The verses potent with lyrical passion were ably presented by 10 artistes under the direction of young music conductor Rama Kant. The acclaimed voices of the region, including Brijesh Ahuja and Veenu Kautish were supported by youngsters Richa Sharma, Shruti Bhagat, Himani, Surjit, Vani, Jitender, Sunil, Sonu, Ajay, Ravi Bakshi and Ramakant, music director. The versatile compere Reeta Sharma augmented the performance level doling out crisp jokes. The chief guest, Dr Dharamvir, Financial Commissioner, Haryana, and guest of honour Harjit Singh Grewal, DC, Ropar, sat through the programme. |
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Peace strokes on Kashmir
It’s
strange how hope can breathe through suffocating alleys of despair, inspiring life with eternal vibrancy and purpose. How else would nine art students from a state most famous for a ravaged soul see nothing but peace in its future? “There can be a ray of light behind every
cloud. It’s just a question of finding it,” say nine young practitioners of art from the Art College of Jammu and Kashmir, who
are in Chandigarh to share their vision of the world to be.
Ankush Kesher’s landscapes are best representations of the unstinting faith that the valley’s youth has in its redemption. Far from the violence that typifies the state, its youth chooses to focus on elements that reaffirm hope, happiness and peace. Whatever the nature of the artwork, the theme is inspirational, just as the impact is. Banita Bhau, Sudhir Kamal, Rajni Slathia, Jagdish Kumar, Neha Singh, Mukesh Kumar, Ranjeeta Dhar, Ankush Kesher and Rajni Jamwal draw from all possible situations and paint a picture of normalcy. On display is terracotta pottery, woodcut prints and photographs that recall the nuances that have long been evading the calley — right from a tonga ride and life amid the greens to the massive reclining mountains taking pride in the moment. The most striking part of the show is the content of its artworks. Most of the motifs are plain objects which a casual observer could easily pass by. But for those who come from a space as volatile as Jammu and Kashmir, simple alone is special — be it a mother’s gesture of combing her child’s hair, the carefree play of childhood or a walk through chinar strewn fields. The works of art on display are simple as their themes, spared both of layers and frills. Watch the play of simplicity at IndusInd Gallery, Sector 8, from 10 am to 6 pm till
June 19. TNS
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Piecing together alienated self
Abstraction
can be bliss, as it is for Blodsow, the Chennai based artist who daringly creates what he sees beyond the wall of reason. Perhaps there’s no way other than abstraction that can bring to life the dark, dingy spaces of human imagination and existence.
Blodsow’s works are 10, but they have the strength to stir many a slumbering soul. His works cause you to think and ensure you walk back home with a heavy heart, a racking brain. As an artist schooled by instinct alone, Blodsow does his job well — shakes the reigning ideals, questions the accepted norms and offers fresh insights into familiar issues. But he’s not sure is all that matters. His works are extensions of his own mistrust in society and its mores. Trained by V. Vishwanathan of the Cholamandalam Artists Village, Blodsow works close to nature, using all he can (from sand to mud to jute) to project what he wants to — the death of socialism, the reigning hypocrisies in matters related to sex, struggle, aggression et al. He voices repression through his art which is best defined as a tapestry. The 10 tapestries hit you in the eye and then the heart. The first thing that overwhelms you is their size, the second is their monochromatic expanse portraying wonderfully diverse issues, and the third is hopelessness that runs through the works, binding them together. Unable as we are to cut strings of attachments and of suffering, monochromes best explain our states of mind in Blodsow’s experimental exhibition “Alienation and Reality”. He tells us how we are afraid to change, more afraid to lead, and how we roll from dawn to dusk like creatures of a dead world. But Blodsow challenges the status quo with his huge symbolic works that weave strong patterns and voice a strong urge — art might change the world. Might not. The works are on display at Alliance Francaise Art Gallery, Sector 36, Chandigarh, from 10 am to 6 pm till June 20.
TNS
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Gaganpreet, a dancing virtuoso
Based
on the chronicles of art history, many scholars observe that some of the gems in the art world had virtually no academic training of their particular field, but their contributions are hailed as a milestone. The legendary maestro, Kishore Kumar, is said to have no systematic training in classical music.
One is reminded of this wonder when coming across, Gaganpreet, a young dancer, who is blessed with all traits of a virtuoso. Talk of any intricate detail regarding bharatnatyam, interior designing, fashion designing, cookery, gardening, swimming and of course dancing, you are bound to accept that you are in the company of a connoisseur who had mastered the finer nuances of all these subjects. But her persona is more attuned to dancing as she frequently gestures dance movements. She says dancing not only keeps your body fit but also nourishes your soul, strengthens your will power and helps to counter tension or any type of depression. The young danseuse had been into teaching dance for the past 15 years and her students include some grandmothers. She teaches fusion dance which is based on the elements of both classical and Western dance. She is working as a dance instructor with Fitness World, Panchkula. She has attended dancing courses offered by Shiamak Institute for Performing Arts and won acclaim in the final shows. Holding Shiamak Dawar as her idol, she continues to compose her own dance compositions.
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