EDUCATION

Seminar suggests fest in memory of Baba Farid
S.D. Sharma

A two-day seminar on the life, philosophy and teachings of Baba Farid, organised by the Haryana Urdu Akademi, has concluded at Golden Jubilee Hall of Panjab University.

The akademi secretary and convener, K.L. Zakir, claimed that the consensus evolved after deliberations between six delegates from Pakistan and eminent scholars from India would go a long way in strengthening the Indo-Pakistan ties in all spheres of life. Mr Zakir disclosed some of the important recommendations to be made to the Haryana Government.

The resolutions included the celebration of a festival in memory of Baba Farid at Hansi in Haryana where he spent 12 years preaching Sufism and the ethical values for an ideal life.

All papers presented by scholars, including Dr Satinder Noor, Rashid Mateen, Prof Kamlesh Mohan, Ghulam Nabi Kheyal, Riyaz Punjabi, and others would be published in a book by the Haryana Urdu Akademi by March 2006.

The akademi would institute an annual award in honour of the great mystic for any individual work on Sufism.

Besides, the akademi would publish a book on Baba Farid with comprehensive account of his life, teachings and philosophy of the saint poet. Zakir also disclosed that the akademi would recommend the setting up of a library in the proposed girls high school to be opened by the Haryana Government in the building belonging to the noted Urdu poet Hali at Panipat. The delegates from Pakistan led by Rashid Mateen hailed the seminar as a remarkable step towards better Indo-Pakistan cultural relations.

Panjab University festival gets off to youthful start
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, October 27
The Panjab University Zonal Youth Festival and Heritage Festival started today at Government College, Sector 11, Chandigarh, in most vibrant and spirited fervour. The youth festival was inaugurated by Mr Pawan Kumar Bansal, MP, Chandigarh.

Thirteen colleges from the city and from the Ferozepur Zone, which covers the areas of Fazilka, Feropzepore, Abohar and around are participating in the three-day festival.

To mark the inaugural celebration the chief guest hoisted the college flag, which was marked by fire crackers and mass dance performance by the college students. On the occasion Mr Bansal announced a grant of Rs 5 lakh from the MP Fund, for the construction of alumini house.

A newsletter was also released on the occasion.

Today’s events included literary items such as debate, elocution, poem recitation and creative writing: music items such as shabad or bhajan, group singing-Indian, music vocal-western solo and group singing-western, fine arts items such as rangoli, landscape drawing, still-life drawing, collage making and poster making etc.

PU Syndicate meeting tomorrow
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, October 27
The Panjab University Syndicate will consider the recommendations of the faculties of the University Institute of Engineering and Technology and the Department of Chemical Engineering and Technology for speedy declaration of results of the respective departments various courses. The recommendations include the suggestion of letting students see their answer sheets.

This item has been added in the supplementary agenda of the syndicate. Also on the agenda is to consider the resolution proposed by Prof R.K. Kohli for the university to go in for group medical insurance policy for its employees and the students for treatment regarding hospital admission.

From Schools
Kids celebrate Divali with grandparents
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, October 27
It was grandparents day at the Prerna Club, where tiny tots welcomed the elderly with a smile and a “namaskar” at DAV Public School, Sector 8, here today. The occasion was a get together for Divali.

The programme began with a yoga session, where Mr C. M. Sharma gave a speech on pranayam and how to keep ones mind in peace away from the hustle and bustle of the world full of worries. He explained that by adopting yoga as a way of living, dreaded diseases caused by a sedentary lifestyle could be kept at bay.

After this, the tiny tots invited the grandparents to light earthen lamps and ignite the “prerna” (inspiration) in all those at the gathering by becoming a source of inspiration for one and all. Children of classes LKG, UKG and first presented songs and poems. The poems on grandparents were the most appreciated ones.

Grandparents applauded the kids and blessed them for their effort in making it a special day. The coordinator the school thanked the grandparents for attending the function.

Contests

A slogan-writing and poster-writing competitions were organised at Government Girls Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 18, here today. The contests were aimed at creating an awareness among the people, especially children, about the hazards of noise pollution and use of crackers.

Ms Rajesh Minhas, Principal of the school, advised the students to avoid crackers and celebrate Divali in a peaceful and colourful manner. A declamation contest was also organised on the same subject.

Debate

Boys from St.John’s High School, Sector 26, lifted the Macmillan Trophy at an inter-school debate held at Vivek High School, Sector 38, here today. The team represented by Archint Gupta and Ajachi Chakraborti won the trophy in a closely contested final. Vivek High had actually scored the maximum points but handed over the trophy to the runners-up team of St. John’s .

Rajan Nayyar, student of Vivek High, Avintika Thakur of Bhavan Vidyalaya and Massanjam Kaur also from the host school won the first, second and third individual awards.

The eleven participating schools, included St Johns, Carmel Convent, St Kabir, YPS, Mohali, Bhavan Vidyalaya, St. Stephens, Sacred Heart Senior Secondary School, Guru Nanak School and Vivek High School. Patiala’s YPS was the only school from out of the town.

Dr Ranjit Powar, Director, Weights and Measures (Punjab), Prerna Puri, DSP, Panchkula, and Maj-Gen. G.S. Randhawa (retd.), Chairman Ex-services Commission, were the judges. The contest marked the beginning of the ongoing founder’s week celebrations of the school.

Shivalik kids hold annual function
Tribune News Service

Mohali, October 27
The senior wing of Shivalik Public School, Sector-41, Chandigarh, celebrated its annual function today in the school auditorium, Phase-6. The chief guest of the function was Mr L.S. Boparai, the eminent educationist of the region. The function commenced with the lighting of lamp by the chief guest, which was followed by the chanting of school shabad and welcome address.

There was a harmonious blend of Rajasthani, Haryanvi, western and classical dances. Students enthralled the audience with their sweet notes, while the theme dance ‘Moksha’ emphasised the victory of good over evil.

Students were given awards for their outstanding performance in academics in 2004-2005 while Puneet Singh XII, Manonit Kaur XI, Amrita Singh XI, Naveen X and Sharminder Singh IX were given the award of all-rounder students.

Six awards were given to those students who secured more than 90 per cent in their board examinations. Amrita Singh was awarded for securing 96.2 per cent marks. Manonit and Puneet Singh were adjudged the best public speakers, while Navjit Singh was given the award for best singer.

Kirmani for evil-free society
Our Correspondent

Panchkula, October 27
“Education will make you masters of your destiny. It is indeed a powerful instrument for developing the inborn creative potentialities. All of you must contribute for building an ideal society free from social evils”, said chief guest Syed Kirmani, a renowned cricketer, while addressing the students, staff and parents of the Satluj Public school here today evening.

He also reiterated that ‘the greatest thing is not winning but fighting well’ and exhorted the students to imbibe the ethical values taught to us by our great saints and sages.

Earlier, Principal Krit Sarai welcomed the chief guest and Sanjeev Chadda the guest of honour, during the captivating cultural bonanza.

The programme titled ‘Satluj Pride-2005’ commenced with an invocatory ‘Saraswati Vandna’ followed by a ‘dandiya’ based Gujrati dance symbolizing the ‘Deepavali’ celebrations.

Then the young students enraptured the audience with dances on International rhythms and an item ‘Satlujians Full of respect’laced with didactic behavioral conduct at home, school and society.

The journey of Indian film music was a travelogue of film songs form the year 1960 onwards. The audience, however, had reserved the applause for a fashion show ‘ Bold and Beautiful Satlujians’. Directed by Sonia Sharma, the show featured over 70 girls and boys in four rounds before the grand finale in which all students and teachers appeared on stage. Eminent educationist and director PS Sarai also spoke on the occasion.

COURTS

Maruti told to pay Rs 50,000 relief
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, October 27
The UT State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission imposed a penalty of Rs 50,000 on Maruti Udyog Limited, New Delhi, and its local dealer for deficiency in service.

The order of Justice K.C. Gupta, president, and Major-Gen S.P. Kapoor (retd) and Ms Devinderjit Dhatt, both members, modified the order of the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum-I which had awarded a compensation of Rs 6,000 only.

The application for relief was filed by Mr Ravinder Kumar, a resident of Sector 42, who had purchased a Maruti Alto for Rs 3.04 lakh from Pasco Automobiles, Industrial Area, on December 24, 2001.

However, within days of the purchase, the vehicle started giving “unusual sound from the engine, chassis and body”.

The vehicle was taken for the first service on January 21, 2002, but the customer was not satisfied. Representations to the company officials and the dealers too fell on deaf ears forcing him to approach the district forum.