The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Chandigarh Stories

Imparting education to women since 1957

The most venerable Bhagwan Dev Atma founded Dev Samaj in 1887. In his teachings, he laid great stress in imparting education to women because he felt that by educating the girl child the whole family gets educated. This being the uppermost thought in his mind he started numerous education institutions for women.

I.S. Dev Samaj Girls Senior Secondary School, Sector 21-C, Chandigarh, was established in 1957, in Sector 18 as a high school. Recognised by the Punjab Education Department, the school shifted to its present campus in 1959. The school is on grant-in-aid since 1967. In 1988, senior secondary classes were added to the school. Dr Sumati Kanwar is the Principal. Due to her hard work and dynamic leadership qualities the school has been performing excellent every year. It has excelled in every field may it be sports, academics, co-curricular etc.

The school has a spacious and well-furnished building with sprawling lawns, play fields, a well-equipped library, laboratory and computer centre. The school also has an NSS unit. There is provision for table tennis, basket ball, kho kho, badminton, judo and cricket. The school has a coaching centre for basketball as well. Two beautiful basketball grounds add to the ambience of the institution.

Aims and objectives:

1. To develop sound foundation in academic as well as active participation in sports to ensure all round development of the students.

2. To inculcate in them a sense of discipline and strength of character.

3. To impart high standard of moral education to the students.

Achievements: Results of class XII: The school achieved 100 per cent result in Class XII examination. Geetanjali got the highest marks in commerce stream with 85 per cent. She also got a merit certificate for getting 97 per cent marks in Physical Education. Sarita got the highest 87 per cent marks in Arts stream.

Results of class X: Overall result is 98 per cent and Kirti got the highest marks with 85.6 per cent.

Sports: The school won the third position in Chandigarh Sub-Junior Ball Badminton Tournament held at Sanjay Public School, Sector 44, Chandigarh, in May this year. Simran was declared the best player. Students won the top positions in under-14 and under-19 sections of the Roger Bunnista road race. Jagriti of class II won gold medal in open junior state karate championship. The school won the IX Junior State Ball Badminton Championship held July this year. Karuna got the best player award. Astha of class XI got the second place in a debate competition on “Role of women in society” organised by the Avantika — a group of artistes and intellectuals. Inter-school state level group dance competition was organised by Department of Education. The school team won the second prize in the competition.

Principalspeak

Dr Sumati Kanwar Principal

With the rapid changes and developments in the society, the field of education is also experiencing a transformation. While the ultimate aim of education remains acquiring knowledge and overall development of the students, but due to the globalisation and commercialisation lots of new facets have developed. The students today need to prepare themselves for global deployments in their chosen careers. So alongwith their curriculums, they also need to acquire skills needed for facing stiff competition that has become the buzzword in the current job scenario. The role of school in this regard has become more important as school is the place where the basic foundation for all learning is laid. If the foundation is strong it can support any kind of building. The students enter the school at a very tender age and spend almost 15 years in the schools before graduating to the college. Thus, school becomes a major learning centre for them and their future growth and development depends upon the grooming done in the school.

We, in IS Dev Samaj Girls Senior Secondary School, appreciate the importance of school education in the lives of our students and make all-out efforts to make the education more meaningful and beneficial. The endeavour is to provide a congenial atmosphere where the students are able to realise their latent talents and feel encouraged to develop them further. Apart from academics, character building and personality development are the main areas of focus. An effort is made not to produce a few gladiators, but each and every students is given due attention. For this, a host of activities are organised at various levels to afford a chance to all students to participate. In addition to common activities like debates, declamation, paper reading, poetry recitation, musical events, painting, poster making and collage making, uncommon events like bindi competition and rangoli making are conducted to inspire their ingenuity.

Moral education is another area which is given its due importance and efforts are made to instill high moral values in them. The basic tenets of good moralistic values are essential ingredients for the complete development of a person, but these can be imbibed with better ease in the impressionable age and became harder to instill with the passage of time. In order to achieve this there has to be a system where this education is imparted according to a schedule and even teachers need to be trained in this field.

‘A healthy mind rests in a healthy body’. This maxim is true for all times. But the pressure of academic competitions is denying time to the students for sports and physical activities. Participation in sports is not only necessary for physical fitness, but an absolute must for confidence building, personality development, team-building and understanding the group dynamics. Participation in sports is a healthy way of breaking the boredom of studies and letting off the extra energy.

More emphasis needs to be laid in the participation of students in organising events which them a chance to display their talent and they learn to shoulder responsibility. The role of teachers should be more of a guide and facilitator. An odd mistake in this process should be accepted and not frowned upon.

Education to be meaningful should be holistic and futuristic. Over emphasis on percentages has its own pitfalls as it deprives the students the opportunities in participating in other activities and causes some permanent voids in their personalities. In the competitive scenario that is developing around us there is a requirement to provide the students with the wherewithal to enable them to face the competition and come victorious. Their intellectual, academic, moral, physical, psychological and social development should be given due importance for their all round development. Ignoring any of them during their formative years will not be judicious for the teachers.

Shemrock celebrates grandparents day
Tribune News Service

Mohali, September 19
Students of Shemrock Senior Secondary School, junior wing put up a fancy dress show to celebrate Grandparents Day today. All students were enthusiastic. They were dressed as doctor, Punjabi brides, cobblers, shahi nawab, etc.

The show started with a speech by the Principal, Air Commodore S.K. Sharma (retd.), who welcomed all grandparents and students sung a welcome song. Then the fancy dress show began with a Kashmiri girl, Eknoor.

The purpose to celebrate this day is to give importance to the grandparents because most people are interested in nuclear families these days due to this grandparents are being ignored. So this is the effort of the tiny tots to make everyone love and respect their grandparents.

Prizes to the winners were given by their grandparents. The winners include Eknoor, Habhie, Sukhmanjeet, Mansha, Taranpreet, Harleen, Diya, Tarashpreet, Rasmeet, Shiven, Manik, Jashan, Japjit, Sambhavi, Shreya, Aayushi, Lovit, Kudrat, Guroor, Darshini, Parnamee, Parneet, Sahiba, Seerat, Jayan, Harman, Aseesh, Rabya and Ramneek.

British Council to organise ‘Education UK’
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 19
If you are interested in studying in the United Kingdom, then here is your chance. British Council, New Delhi is organising “Education UK” a week long series of exhibitions and interactive seminars on all you need to know about studying in the United Kingdom, from September 22 to 28, in Punjab.

The week long series will be inaugurated by Sir Micheal Arthur, the British High Commissioner on September 21 in Chandigarh. According to Mr Sushant Bannerjee, the manager British Library, Sector 9, a road show is going to be organised in the city and will be the major attraction of the education fair. “We will have representatives from the local British Library office, participating in the road show; they will visit schools and colleges among other prominent places of the City. This is being done in an effort to reach out to people and inform them about various opportunities to study in the UK and also to answer any query of theirs.”

A study UK Exhibition will also be organised at CII Convention centre, Sector 31, in Chandigarh from September 22 to 25, where the local representatives of various universities in the UK will be present. “These representatives will answer all queries regarding scholarships and admissions, and also help guide the students,” informed Mr Bannerjee. A similar exhibition will be organized at Hotel Majestic Park Plaza in Ludhiana on September 26, 27 and at Radisson Windsor Hotel, Jalandhar on September 28.

Syndicate meet to discuss issue of LLB students
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 19
The Panjab University Syndicate, at its meeting on September 24, will discuss an issue which, should have been implemented in May, 2005. This item, on the agenda, has foxed many Syndics as they fail to understand as to why the item was not brought earlier at the meeting.

The item pertains to a resolution proposed by Dr R.P.S. Josh, a professor in Hindi with GCG-42 and Panjab University Senator. The proposal, made by him was that students of LLB (three year) law course, who have cleared 90 per cent of their exams in each semester year after 1995-1996, should be given two mercy chances to improve their score and clear their exams.

Dr Josh had given this representation to the Registrar, PU, on January 4. He too is, however, surprised that his representation is coming so late in the Syndicate. “I gave a reminder also to the university authorities.” He is, however, optimistic that the Syndicate will clear his representation. “We can always change the dates proposed for the two chances and make them for the next session.” Senior Syndicate members are non committal on the item.

Saplings planted at Gian Jyoti School
Tribune News Service

Mohali, September 19
It was like a festival at Gian Jyoti Public School, here today. Students were dressed in green for celebrating sapling plantation day. Mr M.L. Sharma, SDM, Mohali, was the chief guest.

The chief guest along with the Principal of the school, Mrs Ranjeet Bedi, and Director J.S. Bedi escorted by the teachers and the students of the school planted saplings.

The Principal said the motive was to create awareness among students about the importance of trees. Mr M.L. Sharma said it was really a very good step to channelise the energy of the children towards protecting environment.

Judicial custody for Pakistan national
Tribune News Service

Panchkula, September 19
Pakistani national Shauqat Ali, who was caught by the Ramgarh police for staying illegally in India, was remanded in judicial custody today.

He was produced before the court of Ms Shashi Bala Chauhan today and remanded in the judicial custody. The man was arrested by the police on Friday, after residents of Khangesara village had complained about him.

Meanwhile, Judicial Magistrate, Mr Ajay Aggarwal today remanded the three accused in kidnapping of a boy at Kalka yesterday in judicial custody. The three accused, Anil Kumar, Anil Taneja and Sant Lal, had kidnapped 13-year-old boy Nitin yesterday. But timely action by the police and relatives of the victim help thwarted the kidnap bid and nabbed the accused.

LEISURE

Idol in their own right
Gayatri Rajwade

The confidence is inspiring. As they walk in with an air of nonchalance, there is a visible aura they carry with them, one of success —hard won — and fame. For Indian Idol Abhijeet Sawant and the other top two finalists, Rahul Vaidya and Aditi Paul, life has taken on an enchanted hue. Here they stand, ordinary people who have reached pure celebrity status and they adore it!

In the city to perform and formally launch Sony Entertainment Television’s Indian Idol 2, they delight with their earnest answers to oft asked questions.

Their idols? For Abhijeet it is his guru Bhavdeep Jaipurvale, for Aditi it’s her older brother for the person he is.

Favourite food? “Dal chawal” for Rahul and “anything sweet” for Abhijeet.

Friends? Very important for Aditi, she has lived in a hostel all her life and friends are her lifelines!

As the questions flow, it is obvious fame sits lightly on their young shoulders. “I had struggled for three years to become a playback singer and this platform changed my life in an instant. My life has come to a stage where I see myself standing where I used to see my idols. It fills me with awe,” says Abhijeet, flashing his charming smile.

For Aditi, this is a dream come true and she makes no bones about it. “I used to wear headphones and sing and dance around as if I were at a performance.”

Rahul, who saunters around with the flamboyance of a veteran at the game of recognition, believes what the country lacks is “opportunity”. “There is so much talent in this country. All one needs is a platform to showcase it.” This has been his “shortcut” to adulation!

What charms the boys in their new “avtaar” as teen idols is that they no longer have to chase after the girls who now make a beeline for them!

The dreams, however, are for real. They all, collectively, hope to make their mark as playback singers. While Abhijeet and Rahul have already got several film playback offers, Aditi is keeping her fingers crossed that things materialise soon for her.

Abhijeet, in particular, hopes to change the face of playback singing and bring in a new genre of music, “One that does not rely on film renditions quite so much.” The super success of his album and the excellent response to Amit Sana’s debut album is reason to hope that perhaps these youngsters might just bring back the melody filled days of yore, a far cry from the remixes of today.

Rahul is taking great heart from the success of his friends’ albums. His will be out at the end of this month and “is especially made for girls” and that is all we get to hear for the moment, as the rest is confidential!

And what of the special girl in his life? “Someone who cooks well because I am a ‘strong’ eater and one who would like to hear me sing!”

For Abhijeet, girls are far from his scheme of things. “For me, this opportunity is a huge challenge and I value every moment of it. This is what I wanted and I plan to cherish it.” — TNS

Attacking social evils through cartoons

Simple satire that brings a wry smile on face despite the seriousness of the subject. This is precisely what S.C. Bhattacharya, Chandigarh-based cartoonist, hopes to achieve through his work, especially when the theme is female foeticide.

At the inauguration of his exhibition at Punjab Kala Bhavan on Monday and sponsored by Indian Oil Corporation, Bhattacharya hopes to spread awareness through cartoons as the message gets across in an entertaining way.”

As a social activist he has worked extensively to spread awareness on issues like AIDS and Pulse Polio drives. “Instead of lecturing people it is easier to depict the same in a light manner and let the people imbibe it,” he adds.

However, despite the sponsorship Bhattacharya laments the hitches artists go through to display their work. “The government should help because our biggest tension is how to reach out to the people.”

The 50 cartoons on show are perhaps too simple and that is precisely why they will reach out to more people. “Stop female foeticide, save bachelors” says one; “I need education and support of society to eradicate the evil of dowry,” says another. Yet another arresting cartoon of a dragon devouring girls simply says “Stop female foeticide.” One of the more telling pieces, is where the grandmother of the family is saying, “I don’t want a girl” and the granddaughter pipes up, “Dadi Ma, you are also a girl.”

The attention to detail is particularly appealing. What the drawings lack in finesse and grammar, they make up with minute consideration for patterns on clothes, home settings and expressions.

For this draughtsman in the Department of Irrigation, Punjab, cartooning came late, at the age of 40. Now, 13 years later, this is a passion, “which comes from the core of my heart.”

And it is his heart he follows while choosing the topics for his exhibition. “I chose female foeticide because this is a concern that is eating into the fabric of society.” Once he has an idea, it takes him an hour to draw it out. He works on his cartoons for five hours each day and even has five of his works exhibited at the Danish Poster Museum, one of the largest poster collections in the world.

The chief guest, Mr V.K. Mishra, Senior Divisional Retail Sales Manager, Indian Oil Corporation, Chandigarh, says, “Bhattacharya has used subtle humour to say what people use a thousand words for.”

The exhibition is on till September 23. — TNS