The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

PTU fest: DAVIET declared champion
Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, October 16
Dancing to the tunes of Punjabi songs, youngsters at PTU Intra Zonal youth Festival grabbed the opportunity to show their artistic skills enthralling the gathering with Vaar singing, bhangra and giddha here today.

Around 110 institutes across the state took part in the two-day festival, organised under the umbrella of Punjab Technical University, Jalandhar.

Competition results
Giving the best performance, DAV Institute of Engineering Technology (DAVIET) today lifted the Overall Champions Trophy. In bhangra, Lovely Institute of Management emerged as the winner while Lovely Institute of Technology and Sant Baba Bhag Singh were placed at the second position. The elocution prize was awarded to Varun of Apeejay and debate competition was won by Karan and Manavdeep of DAVIET. In mime and play, Lovely Institute of Pharmacy emerged as the winner. Sri Sai College of Pharmacy won the collage making competition while in spot painting, DAVIET students showed their best skills.

In addition to music, theatre, fine arts, and literary shows, novel instruments and guest items were the hot favourites during this gala event, which concluded today.

The wonderful performances by exuberant participants like the one visible at zone II intra zonal youth festival held at Lovely Institute of Management, Phagwara, was the common feature of celebrations in all other zonal venues.

At the final day, the charm was at its peak as participants tried their level best to please the audience.

The mime competition program held in the main auditorium was enthralling in content and style. The audience joined the participants singing, clapping and whistling during the folk dance performances, both of the boys and girls section.

The best of the thought, ideas and opinions were at display in the finals of debate competition at the seminar hall. It was enlightening on the part of the audience to observe minute details and differences which add to the beauty of language, courtesy and elocution competition.

The fine art section was the venue of cartoon and poster making where students of various professional courses demonstrated that they were no less than those pursuing fine art studies by displaying their works of creativity, imagination and ideas.

Lovely Institute of Management, Phagwara; Chitkara Institute of Engineering & Technology, Rajpura, Institute of Engineering and Technology, Bhaddal and Baba Isher Singh Institute of Sciences and Technology were the organising institute on behalf of Punjab Technical University. Winner and runner up teams of these intra zonal youth festivals will be competing in inter-zonal youth festival from October 28 to 30 at Lovely Institute of Technology, Phagwara.

Twin advantage for game of tennis
Deepkamal Kaur
Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, October 16
It’s much like a scene from a Bollywood potboiler— ‘Judwa’ brothers pitted against each other on a lawn tennis court, both emerging as brave-hearts.

Carving a niche in the glamorous sports world, 14-years-old twins Chandril and Lakshit Sood have won many national and international titles in various lawn tennis tournaments. Both fight like arch rivals on the tennis court but off the field, they are the best of the buddies.

The Ludhiana-based Sood brothers not only resemble each other in looks, but also share many other common features. Both possess a common international ranking that places them at the 1395 position in the game.

While most children of their age like to watch cartoons on television screen, they prefer to spend most of the time watching the archives of the two sisters, Serena Williams and Venus Williams, whom they emulate.

The brothers were here recently to participate in the Under-14 Single Boys’ titles during the Punjab Open Total Tennis Championship on the lawns of Gymkhana Club. Repeating their success stories, both made it to the finals.

Though Chandril won the title this time, both of them are on a par with each other if their tally is compared. “Chandril has won the matches conducted by the International Tennis Federation (ITF) in Australia and Pakistan, and I have made it most of the time on home grounds, especially the tournaments held in Delhi and nearby areas”, says Lakshit.

It is a unique playing experience for the two cherubs when they strike against each other. “While playing against each other, we do not think about the opponent. We simply concentrates on the game with a motive to win. Though before the game, we know whatever be the outcome, the trophy will be brought home,” say the boys, one donning a yellow wrist band and the other blue making it easier for the coaches to identify them. (Though anyone watching them closely can differentiate that while Chandril keeps on flashing a smile, Lakshit is a bit reserved.)

It is a catch-22 situation for their mother, Mrs Raj Shree Sood, who accompanies them in all tournaments. “I cannot certainly pray for the win of either of my two sons for I am not prejudiced against any one of them. But I do pray that both perform to the best of their individual capabilities”, she said.

Mr Sandeep Sood, their father who is an HRD consultant, said, “Since my sons know each other’s weaknesses as well as the strengths, the match becomes very interesting to watch. They always end up fighting closely with at least three setters to play. The difference in their style is that Chandril is swifter to catch up the rising ball while Lakshit is more aggressive as he hits it harder”.

Besides giving wonderful performances playing against each other, the duo have also proved to be good partners in doubles’ tournament. “We recently lifted the first runner up trophy in the doubles’ national tournament organised by Adidas in Chennai. Together, we had even qualified the ITF tournament held in Saudi Arabia”.

Mrs Sood says that one major advantage the boys have is that they do not have to waste time hunting for a practicing partner unlike other boys in the stadium. Being partners, they have developed very similar capabilities. “In the game, both of them are very good at their back hand strokes. Both stand on 1395 ranking internationally,”, Mrs Sood said, adding both of them had a common coach, Mr Rattan Sharma who was training them at Jawahar Lal Nehru Stadium, New Delhi.

The game has not taken its toll on their academic performance as both are doing equally well in school, says Mrs Sood.

The twins have prepared themselves to give their best performance in a tournament organised by DCM Company Ltd, from October 13 in New Delhi. “All India Tennis Association (AITA) gives points to Indian players on the basis of their performance in this tournament”, the boys said.

Mr Sandeep Sood, is a proud father but is now worried as he is finding it difficult to meet the expenses from his source of income. “Coaching, equipment and traveling for tournaments is proving too costly. So far, I have not found any sponsor for my sons,” he laments.

DD-Punjabi’s 5th anniversary celebrations today
Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, October 16
To commemorate the completion of five years of successful airing of the DD-Punjabi, the national broadcaster’s satellite-based Punjabi channel, the Jalandhar Doordarshan would organise “Jashn Di Raat”, a specially arranged musical night in its sprawling premises tomorrow.

Performances by well known Punjabi singers Sardool Sikandar, Amar Noorie, Balkar Sidhu, Sabar Koti and comedian Jaswinder Bhalla would be the star attractions of the “Jash Di Raat,” said Mr. Govardhan Sharma, the Director of the Jalandhar Doordarshan.

The programme would be telecast live on DD Punjabi, which beams its programmes across 52 countries around the globe.

“DD-Punjabi” was launched five years back with an objective to cater to the needs of those Punjabis settled abroad in the Gulf or other countries, who did not have any access to the DD-Jalandhar channel or (DD-I).

32-year-old found dead in fields

Kapurthala, October 16
The body of a 32-year-old man found in the potato fields near Kala Sanghia here today. According to the police, Gurmit Singh, a resident of Rasoolpur village, was returning from Lohian on a motorcycle when he was attacked by some unidentified persons with sharp-edged weapons. They later dumped the body in the fields. People from nearby villages spotted the body today and informed the police added. — TNS

PCM activists get bail

Phagwara, October 16
Five activists of the Punjab Christian Movement (PCM), who were arrested on Sep 26 in connection with attack on RSS activists in Jalandhar, were bailed out from Phagwara jail yesterday.

Three persons, including a woman, were injured in a clash which broke out between the activists of the two groups when PCM workers were holding a protest march opposing the proposed visit of RSS chief, Mr K.C. Sudarshan to Jalandhar on October 2. — TNS

1 killed, 3 hurt in road mishap
Tribune News Service

Phagwara, October 16
A man was killed and three others, including his wife and child, were injured when a PRTC bus hit them from behind near Khajurla village here last night.

According to information, Subhash Chand (45), a resident of New Railway Colony, Jalandhar, came to Khajurla village for some work along with his wife, Lakshmi, and son Anand on cycle. On their way home, a speeding PRTC bus (PB-11 3722) going from Phagwara to Jalandhar, hit them, killing Subhash Chand on the spot. His wife, son and a passerby, identified as Pyara Lal, were also seriously injured in the accident.