B.Sc II results out

Chandigarh, June 18
Panjab University today declared the results of B.Sc IInd year. The result gazette will be available in the new enquiry counter of the university at 11 am tomorrow. It will also be available on the university’s website "www.puchd.ac.in’’ and can be accessed through SMS after 11 am onwards.

To know the results through SMS, go to 'write message’ box on the mobile phones, type class code number BSC2, leave a space followed by the roll number and send it to 700. TNS

Discovering the lighter side of life
Aditi Tandon
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 18
The first formal activity of the Chandigarh Lalit Kala Akademi could not have been more interesting than this one. Chairperson Aditya Prakash did well to start his tenure on a light note by arranging a workshop on cartoon-making.

Open to one and all, the workshop, organised today at the Government Museum and Art Gallery, Sector 10, aims to instruct students and general public in the fine art of illustration. It revolves around the fact that there is a cartoon in each one of us and we must spare time to identify it.

The two-day workshop is being conducted by Sandeep Joshi and Gurjind Sandhu, both well grounded in the art of distorting reality with the power of their tools. While the artists helped students pick up nuances of the form, the latter concentrated on “lines” and how they changed tack to alter forms.

Among participants were students from far-off places who are here to prepare for the entrance tests of the Government College of Art, Chandigarh. George, one of the art students from Amritsar, was the find of the workshop.

As Sandhu and Joshi charmed with their masterful strokes, the participants were inspired to pick up a pencil or a pen and unleash their creative energies on white sheets. While Sandhu stood apart for his linear, realistic style, Joshi won over the students with his one line strokes, which are tough to master.

His work featuring the open hand as a symbol of Chandigarh was the first one to be drawn in the workshop, inaugurated by UT Administrator, Gen S.F. Rodrigues (retd). The Administrator, accompanied by his wife, also visited Sobha Singh and Thakur Singh sections in the Government Museum.

Ravindra Sharma, painter and the akademi secretary, and Madan Lal exhibited other techniques of drawing art. The workshop will be held tomorrow at the same venue between 10 am and 1 pm.

High on acting, low on ambition

Recognition motivates Upasana Shukla, better known as Siya in “Astitava” on Zee TV, to give her best. This character of a woman who endeavours to control her life with equanimity is close to Upasana’s heart.

Siya falls in love with a man twice her age. Her most perplexing lines were when she discovers that the man is her father. She had to go through a difficult time to deliver the shot.

Whenever she is appreciated, she gets a high but this 21-year-old is low on ambition. Her working strategy is to take one step at a time. Since the stakes are not so high, she has evolved a calm attitude to handle complex situations.

Upasana has learned a lot from her debut soap and working with professional co-stars was a wonderful experience for her. She has not taken professional training and feels that one learns on the set more.

“Though I have an open contract, I have not lent a thought to do something else. I am happy the way things are going”, she said. She won’t mind joining films if she gets a good offer.

She has dabbled in theatre also and was associated with a theatre group in Mumbai. She would like to continue with theatre whenever she will has time.

She catch up with reading and the choice of book depends on her mood. Good music beats her stress.

She was here in connection with “Ek duje ke liye” a contest held to select the ideal couple. — OC

Manch weaves magic with emotive skills
Swarleen Kaur/Gayatri Rajwade

It is their passion for drama that brings these youngsters together. Weaving magic with emotive skills and moving audiences with sheer enthusiasm is Manch, a theatre forum of like minded stage aficionados.

The Manch completed two years in Chandigarh on Saturday and celebrating its birthday in an inimitable style, these youngsters held a press conference in the city to announce their new production after which the motley lot has whizzed off to Shimla to celebrate this special day which brought them together.

Rochak Kohli, President of the group, says they are planning a series of street plays later this year as opposed to a stage production like ‘Painter Babu’ last year. “We always plan a production in September every year but this time we plan to travel in and around Chandigarh once our pieces are ready and hope to reach the masses going as far as Himachal Pradesh and into Punjab if we can. We are planning over 30 performances so that theatre can reach the masses.

The subjects will be contemporary and the group hopes that the city will relate to their work thereby giving them the impetus to continue developing their style of theatrics. “The challenges before a production of this kind are immense, apart from the performances, sponsorships, design and management, music and attire, all of this needs looking into. Coordinating so many people together is not easy.”

The inspiration behind the group is the DAV Dramatics Club Aaghaz, which won critical acclaim amongst the country’s college circles for their outstanding work. Kohli believes the zeal of those days stayed on and after college, the Manch was formed to give vent to the same ardour that was obvious earlier. “We hold auditions every year to add to our group. The important criterion is that you have to love theatre as much as we do.”

This year the auditions are being held on June 26 at the DAV College, Sector 10, where five more members will be added to the group.

“Even after college, when we decided to form the Manch, we put up posters all over the university and other institutions to call upon like-minded people to join us. We have continued with this tradition and hope to keep expanding and adding new members to our group,” says Kohli.

Composing tunes for Army
S.D. Sharma

Col S.C. Sharma (retd)

“There is nothing more majestic than the music which motivates soldiers”. The commendation from the former Chief of Army staff General N.C. Vij (retd), is by no means a small salutation to the contribution of Col S.C. Sharma (retd) for enriching the musical repertoire of the armed forces. He has crafted over 80 tunes based on his own lyrics, many of which are played at top military functions. These include Badta chall,” Ham Bharati sena ke jawan”, and “Rakshak ham”.

But the landmark achievement , composition “Partigya- Bharat mahan” for its patriotic theme, martial content and historical significance.

He said this ‘dhun’ had been devised to replace “Auld Lang Syne,” which was played at all passing out parade ceremonies.

The Scottish composition reflected dejection which Robert Burns scripted in the 17th century expressing the agony of separation from Mrs Dunlop. Another viewpoint relates this song or tune to the tragic farewell by the kin of slaves , migrating to alien land.

The “Pritgya” based on raga Darbari, had been played at ‘ Beating the Retreat function and at International military band meets in the UK and France and he was eager to see it replace the Scottish tune.

Colonel Sharma had been under the tutelage of Pandit Nasib Chand of Hoshiarpur before joining the army to keep up the family legacy. His father had served the Army while his elder brother had attained martyrdom in the Sialkot sector in 1965. His son is in the Navy. His latest accomplishments include composing Sanskrit shlokas and mantras in western musical style and rhythmic patterns.