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120 learn creative writing skill
Panchkula, September 24 As many as 120 budding writers nominated by the local schools participated with dedication to imbibe the finer nuances of “writing” from the acclaimed writers of the region. After a welcome lecture to the joint session, the akademi chief, Dr Naresh, exhorted the participants to learn the language and the form from the seniors only to sharpen their talent of creative writing which, however, was a gift from the Almighty students were categorised in four groups. The noted playwright and chairperson of the Department of Punjabi at Punjabi University, Dr Satish Verma, illustrated the literary and visual art content of the drama with practical demonstration. The group evolved a short social play wherein the teachers were the audience. Likewise the leading litterateur, Dr Phool Chand Manav, interacted with them to explain the subject content, form, language, structure and expression, the fundamental requirements of an essay or the article. Former editor of Dainik Tribune Vijay Sehgal and Prof Aziz Parihar shared their expertise on the short story writing and poetry with the participants. The project director, Dr DS Gupt, coordinated and conducted the proceedings. Earlier, poet Gurbax Saini welcomed Dr SK Dubey, Director, AIR, who inaugurated the programme. Secretary Prem Vij proposed vote of thanks.
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Syndicate increases 300 seats for B.Ed
Chandigarh, September 24 The Syndicate also cleared the awarding of the Ph.D degree to Bhupindera Mann. He has done his research on the topic, “Arjuna awardee Dr Ajmer Singh eminent physical educationist and sports promoter: a case study of education and physical education.” It was discussed that the candidate should not suffer for somebody else’s actions. It was, however, decided that in future, thesis on controversial subjects or persons should not be encouraged. The Syndicate also increased the seats in the B.Ed course in the Department of Correspondence Studies by another 300. These seats will be added from this session. The Syndicate also cleared all appointments except for two professors in CAS in the Department of Computer Science and in the Department of Centre for Defence and National Security Studies. The Syndicate also welcomed the registrar, Prof Bari, and also accepted the induction of the Rajiv Gandhi chair at the PU.
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Court allows cash, clothes for Hawara
Chandigarh, September 24 The Special CBI Judge, Mr M.M. Sharma, directed the counsel, Mr Arvind Thakur, to provide Rs 2,000 and clothes to the jail staff in the court room in the high-security Burail jail here, where the Beant Singh assassination trial is being conducted, on September 26. The court staff would, in turn, provide the cash and clothes to Hawara. Earlier, Mr Thakur contended that it was the responsibility of the jail authorities to provide basic amenities to prisoners. The denial of basic amenities to Hawara amounted to violation of human rights, he argued. The offer of Mr Thakur to provide cash and clothes to Hawara through court had kicked up a controversy recently with the jail authorities ignoring the advocate’s request on the plea that the Punjab Jail Manual allowed only the blood relations to provide clothes and monetary help to undertrials. Citing the manual, a communication from the Deputy Superintendent, Burail Jail, to the Special CBI Judge had said the defence counsel would “not be allowed to deposit money in favour of Hawara as he had no locus standi to bring the cash.” The defence counsel had moved two applications in the court in this regard. Mr Thakur said since the relatives of Hawara had stopped visiting him about seven years back, he needed clothes for the coming winter season. Similarly, money was required to provide him extra diet and medicines as his lower abdomen had developed some problem. A defence counsel, Mr Arunjeev Singh Walia, had been questioned by the local police for reportedly providing turbans and dry fruits to Hawara before his escape from the Burail Jail in January last year.
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Of mapping India, measuring Everest
“PEOPLE think an arc is some kind of boat like Noah’s Arc,” said a smiling John Keay who was in the city to talk about his book, “The Great Arc: How India was Mapped and Everest was Measured”. Instead of the boat, what the audience was regaled with a mesmerising account of how the largest ground measurement was taken from Kanya Kumari to the Himalayas over a period spanning nearly half a century to complete.
Specialising in Asian subjects but living in Scotland, John Keay is one of UK’s most respected writers and historians having authored numerous books, worked extensively with BBC Radio 3 & 4 and even having dabbled in documentary films. In the city courtesy the Association of British Scholars, Chandigarh and the British Council, Keay was clear why it was an arc and not a line! “If we took a straight line we would be at Mars by now. But because the earth is curved, therefore, the measurement is in the form of an arc.” Researching for his book, “The Explorers of the Western Himalayas”, published in 1996, Keay came across references to the Great Trigonometrical Survey of India and the Great Arc of the Meridian. Begun in 1800, it was the longest measurement of the earth’s surface to have been attempted. The logistics rivalled those of a small war, the fieldwork claimed thousands of lives, the survey teams braving illness, malaria, scorpions and floods and “the mathematics threw up the most unwieldy equations known,” he believes. Although William Lambton undertook the task of surveying the country, it was his successor George Everest, who, while completing the task and ironically having never seen the Everest is responsible for its name. Neither was interested in measuring the height of the Himalayas but the arc made it possible, including the height of the highest peak in the world. “This is a fascinating story and subject and it has not been told at all and needed to be told,” he says. However, this was not as difficult to research or write as was “India: A History” published in 2003. “It spans such an enormous time span. Indian history is not easy to present in an engaging way and one has to think about how and what one is writing,” he says. For someone who reviews and writes books, reading is not a past time that can be cherished “for the time is never available for it”. Most of the reading is done for research for an upcoming book. However, what makes the account of “The Great Arc” so significant is that it was perhaps the biggest scientific project undertaken and “it was not just the appropriation of a country but creating a complete visual image of that country,” he adds.
— TNS
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THE Punjab Sangeet Natak Academi presented a musical drama, “Heer Ranjha” in a traditional ‘Naqal’ theatre form at the Punjab Kala Bhavan auditorium on Saturday. Naqal is the product of a drama tradition which has evolved through a process of oral transmission. The presentation is laced with satire by actors or dancers. Only a few groups are carrying forward the legacy of the dying folk theatre form. Veteran folk artist Sadhu Khan ‘Naqqal’ and Khushi Mohammad from Ghanor in Sangrur district brought alive the romanticism of the love legend of Heer-Ranjha with the emotional portrayal of characters as sculpted in the epic by Hashmat Shah.
They interspersed the original script with suitable aberrations for contemporary thematic relevance and acceptability. Sadhu Khan relied upon vocal renditions from Punjabi folklore and the immaculate wit power displayed by artistes with spontaneous humour. Manzur Ali on harmonium, Saleem on dholak and Parvez on the dhol provided the harmonious chords to augment the stage presentation. Sadhu Khan, Khushi Mohammad, Rajwant Gora, Memmood, Aslam Khan and Saleem Khan formed the cast. Akademi secretary Rajpal Singh honoured the artistes and noted folklore scholar Hardyal Singh Thuhi.
— OC
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Film Review Rama Sharma
The son, caught between duty and love, rubs shoulders with Amitabh Bachchan. Karan Sharma has a face that lacks expressions. Like the cuisines he prepares blandly to woo his girl, he too needs some stirring up. His robe with the Big B is a charming one though. An adaptation of a French drama, it is a love story between an Indian settler and a native of Mauritius. It rises in bits but sinks in spirits. British actor Annabalis Wallace’s smile is an ardent expression of her skills. With a voice over in Hindi explaining the English of dialogues, much of the script is spoon-fed to the audience. The first half has only length and no brilliance. It is Amitabh Bachchan, who adds spark to the frames rendered ineffective by the clumsy direction. Revathy’s matronly spirit zooms in front of the camera. Bhoomika Chawla is neither noticeable nor discernable, but tender enough to lend feminine grace to the story. Amitabh charms viewers while Karan, as the son standing up for his family, fails to shoulder his responsibility.
— TNS
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NGO pedals cycling culture into city
CONTINUING with its efforts to promote the ‘culture of cycling’ in Chandigarh, volunteers of the Greentire-Cycle Promotion Programme of YUVSATTA, an NGO, and NSS unit of Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 40, today organised cycling-related games at the school campus.
Ms Saroj Mittal, Principal of the school, inaugurated the cycle games in the morning in which around 400 students of the school participated. Explaining the motive behind the initiative, Dr Preeti Garg, NSS Incharge of the School, said on this day, September 24 in 1969, National Service Scheme (NSS) was established to propagate Gandhian ideals. These include propagating the principles of non-violence, service and sacrifice. And cycles in Chandigarh can be the modern Gandhian spinning wheel which can save not only the precious lives lost daily in road accidents in the city, but will also cut the ever-increasing fuel cost, decrease air and noise pollution and also parking woes. Mr Vikramjit Singh, Incharge of Greentire — Cycle Promotion Programme of Yuvsatta, said that cycling was a must for every youngsters for healthy hearts and green cities. Mr Jagpal Singh and Balwinder Singh, teachers of the school, and Mr Prince, Yuvsatta volunteer, were the three judges of the cycling games. The winners of various cycling competitions held today in the School are as under; Slow Cycling (Juniors) : 1st-Jitesh, 2nd-Nitin, 3rd-Virinder. Slow Cycling (Seniors): 1st-Dishant, 2nd-Rohit, 3rd-Amit. Slow cycling (Girls): 1st-Kusum, 2nd-Richa, 3rd-Ekta. ZIG-ZAG Race (Boys): 1st - Yuvraj, 2nd - Rohit, 3rd - Ayush. ZIG-ZAG Race (Girls) : 1st-Sonia, 2nd-Richa, 3rd-Ekta. Picking balls (Under 19-Boys): 1st-Deepak Gupta, 2nd-Ram Kumar, 3rd-Varinder. Picking balls (Under 19-Girls): 1st-Ritika, 2nd-Preeti Kaushik, 3rd-Simran & Baljinder. Picking balls (Under 17): 1st-Dixit & Mandeep Singh, 2nd-Gurpreet Singh, 3rd-Nitin.
TNS
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“DIL Jo Bhi Kahey” is director Romesh Sharma’s launch pad for his son Karan. An inter-cultural love story, it is a non-starter.