EDUCATION

The day belonged to the disabled
Governor launches Mission of Mental Health
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 3
The World Disabled Day, this year, brought a ray of hope for the mentally challenged children of the region, with the launching of Mission of Mental Health by the Punjab Governor and Administrator, Union Territory, Chandigarh, Gen (retd) S.F. Rodrigues. The mission is designed to organise, encourage and promote mental health, and to enable those affected to achieve the highest quality of life.

As part of this mission, General Rodrigues today laid the foundation stone of a regional institute for mentally handicapped in Sector 31, for providing state of the art facilities and an efficient support structure for extending special education, vocational training and other opportunities of empowerment to at least 1,000 mentally challenged of the region.

General Rodrigues, in his brief address and interaction with senior officers of the Chandigarh Administration and members of various NGOs said this comprehensive project, equipped with modern research facilities, would cater to the needs of mentally challenged children. It will also offer clinical, residential and requisite functional support services. He appealed for their committed support.

Emphasising the need for active involvement of NGOs, corporates, officers and government functionaries of all ranks in this endeavour, General Rodrigues said this was a universal problem and all individuals with mental disabilities must be treated with fairness, respect and dignity by their families and all members of society. He said families should be properly educated and involved in the development, implementation and evaluation of their treatment.

General Rodrigues emphasised that the corporate sector should be involved in the process for absorbing this work-force subsequently. He also asked the officers to implement the disability Act and fill the reserved seats for them in various government and semi-government organisations. Accompanied by Ms Jean Rodrigues, the Administrator mingled with the mentally challenged children and inquired about their well-being.

Earlier, the Home Secretary, Mr Krishan Mohan, and other senior officers associated with the project, while giving a brief about the project said the institute would cover various facilities, including genetic research, early identification and will have a special education centre etc. An institute for health would also be included.

General Rodrigues also asked the Home Secretary and the Chief Engineer to set up a home for the mentally sick after renovating the existing place and shifting the children to the new building.

Needs of disabled children highlighted
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 3
World Disabled Day was celebrated by the management, staff and students of Vatika High School for Deaf and Dumb, Sector 19, here today. Various events were organised in the school to mark the day.

A quiz competition was also held. for the deaf students. They were encouraged to decorate their classrooms and the best decorated class was given a prize. The winners of the other competitions were also awarded..

Besides, a prabhat pheri was also taken out through the Sector 19 market and residential areas to highlight the needs of the special children. A painting competition was organised and the students were served with refreshments.

Chandigarh College of Engineering and Technology (CCET), here organised a programme to mark the day. Dr Baljeet S. Kapoor, Principal of the college, was the chief guest. He advised the students to follow the concept of “work is worship”.

Certificates to passout students of non-formal courses were given away by Dr JS Saini, professor in-charge, Centre for Physically Challenged, National Institute of Technical Teachers training and research (NITTTR), Chandgiarh.

He shared his experiences and views in bringing up his disabled son Saurav, who is an artist of national repute. He appealed to the Chandigarh Administration for setting up a centre for disability management and alumni association for the disabled.

He reqested the Principal of the CCET to interact with the authorities concerned for giving extra time to disabled students in state board examinations and extending bus pass facility to them students beyond Chandigarh Administration limits.

Physically challenged students performed items of songs, dance and mono acting.

AMBALA: Deputy Commissioner, Ambala, J.P. Kaushik distributed artificial limbs, crutches, callipers and tri-cycles among the physically challenged at a function held at Panchayat Bhavan in Ambala City. The programme was organised in collaboration with Mr Raj K. Aggarwal of the Bhagwan Mahavir Viklang Sahayata Samiti.

ROPAR: As many as 800 students of various schools participated in a rally organised here by the District Education Department to mark World Disabled Day. The students were told about the need to care and not to discriminate disabled persons by the DPI (Senior Secondary School), Mr Piara Singh. He flagged off the rally at Gandhi Memorial School. The rally after passing through various parts of the city culminated at Kanya Vidyalaya.

Students present cultural extravaganza
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 3
Fun and frolic marked the annual day celebrations of KBDAV School, Sector 7, held on the school premises today. A cultural extravaganza, the function was presided over by Mr G.P. Chopra, a Padamshree award recipient and president of the DAV College Managing Committee, New Delhi.

The day also marked the release of the autobiography “The Vertical Man” of B.S. Bahl, an educationist and founder Principal of DAV College, Amritsar, and Jalandhar.

As many as 800 students participated in various cultural items. After the ceremonial lighting of a diya and the Ganesh vandana, a Rajasthani dance was put up by the students of senior classes. This was followed by a scintillating performance by the students of primary classes on the songs “Bunty aur Babli”, “Chui mui” and “Chandu ke chacha”.

The Goan dance, Haryanavi, Punjabi and the lively burger dance were also applauded. The skaters of the school put up a performance on the song, “Vande Matram”.

The newly constructed BS Bahl Science Block of the school was inaugurated by Mr Chopra. Among prominent persons present on the occasion were DPI Schools D.S. Mangat, Mayor Anu Chatrath, Member of Parliament Pawan Bnasal, and Regional Officer, CBSE, D.R. Yadava.

Skits mark school’s annual day
Our Correspondent

Mohali, December 3
Gem Public School, Phase III B 2, wore a festive look on its 12th annual day function here today.

Students dressed up in colourful costumes presented their best in a cultural show organised on the occasion.

The function began with a Saraswati vandana followed by a welcome song. Students of primary classes took part in a musical play “Dr Time’s Calendar”. English play “Tikki-Tikki Tambo” and “Abou Hassan” were the other attractions. The audience had fits of laughter while watching a Punjabi skit “School of Bathinda”.

Apart from other dance performances, giddha and bhangra evoked great applause.

Dr Harbans Lal, Chief Parliamentary Secretary, Punjab, who was the chief guest, gave away awards and certificates to meritorious students. Ms Lakhwinder Kaur Garcha, OSD to the Punjab Chief Minister, presided over the function.

The annual school report was read out by the Principal, Mrs Ravinder Kaur.

Mt Carmel School’s annual day
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 3
The annual-cum-founder’s day function of Mount Carmel School, Sector 47, was celebrated today at Tagore Theatre. As many as 400 students from classes IV to X presented an entertaining cultural programme which began with “Consecration,” a prayer dance. This was followed by other events like Mount Carmel melodies, east meets west, our master’s voice and a play, Julius Ceaser, among others.

The function was presided over by Mr Tarun Bajaj, Managing Director, Hafed, Haryana, as the chief guest. About 60 students were awarded for excellence in academics and 20 for being the best all-round students. Gurleen Kaur, topper of the school was also awarded a cash prize of Rs 10,000. An item “we are one” was put up by the students in the final.

Divya Public School celebrates annual day
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 3
Divya Public School, Sector 44-D, celebrated its annual prize distribution function here today. Mr Vivek Attray, Director, Information and Science Technology, Chandigarh, was the chief guest.

Tiny tots of pre-nursery, nursery and KG performed on a song, "In the morning if I were" while students of Class V111 performed a dance on "Vande Mataram." Students of other classes presented skits, bhangra and other entertaining items.

The Principal, Mr Rattan Singh, read out the annual report and Mr Attray gave away the prizes. Ajay Arora and Shalini Swami were declared best boy and girl, respectively.

Mr O.P. Goyal, president of the Divya Educational Society, read out the welcome address.

Poster-making contest at Rayat college

Mohali, December 3
The World AIDS Day was observed by Rayat and Bahra College of Education near Kharar on Thursday. School students from Government Senior Secondary School Kharar, Government School, Dassu Majra, Government Senior Secondary School, Sohana, Government Senior Secondary School, Phase 3B1 and Government Secondary School, Ropar, participated in a poster making competition organised by the college.

Jan Shikshan Sansthan, Mohali, also organised an awareness programme on HIV/AIDS on its campus and also at Government Senior Secondary School, Sahoran. More than 500 students and residents of the area participated in it. Speaking on the occasion Mr Dildar Khan, Director in-charge of the sansthan, said there was need to make the youth understand the issue. — TNS

PU don to present papers in Beijing
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 3
Prof B.S. Ghuman, Chairman, Department of Public Administration, Panjab University, and Akshat Mehta, research fellow, Department of Public Administration, have been invited to present papers on, “Health Care for the Poor in India with Special Reference to Punjab State” at the workshop on healthcare for poor in Asia. They have been invited to the annual conference of the Network of Asia-Pacific Schools and Institutes of Public Administration and Governance (NAPSIPAG) in Beijing, China from December 5-7.

It is being organised by the Asian Development Bank and the China National School of Administration.

About 100 participants from Asia-Pacific countries are likely to participate in the Conference.

College gets nod for MDS

Chandigarh, December 3
Desh Bhagat Dental, College and Hospital, Muktsar, has received the ‘No Objection Certificate’ for starting the MDS course in Prosthodontics, Conservative Dentistry and Edndodontics, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Periodontics and Orthodontics.

The chairman of the college added that they had also adopted two villages, Khandawala and Jhabawala, where regular free health camps were held. — TNS

CULTURE

Emoting through poetry
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, December 3
“The poet is an omniscient person, a sage or a visionary who represents the cultural ethos of the people, rather of the entire human race, through his literary creations with a peculiar sensibility while a journalist engrossed in his hit-and-run professional approach remains bereft of the emotional feelings of a poet. Imbibing the virtues and intuitive wisdom of a poet by all, especially journalists, can help overcome many constraints and accomplish more,” opined Mr H.K. Dua, Editor-in-Chief, Tribune Group of Newspapers. He was speaking at an all-India kavi sammelan organised by the Chandigarh Sahitya Akademi at DAV College here today.

The guest poets who regaled the audience were Kunwar Bechain who shared his emotions with “Dil pe mushkil hai bahut dil ki kahani likhna jiase behte huye paani pe hai paani likhna”.

Versatile Som Thakur introduced himself such, “Qatre se samndar tak gumnaam silsila hun, tode hazaar bandhan har kid mein rha hun agla paikun mera chhota hun zindagi se par maout se bada hun.”

Journalist-poet Kanahiya Lal Nandan, in his simple but impressive recital, said “Mujhe siyahiyon mein ana paaoge mein miloonnga lafzon ki dhool mein”.

Earlier Prem Vij opened the session with “Kaath hota main”, depicting the growing frustration in life. In his poetry of protest, Satya Pal Uppal induced life into the mehfil with ghazal and free verse. The ghazal mood was augmented by the prolific poet in his rendition, “Nahin to khoon ke chhente tumhare gaal par hote, ganimat hai ke tumne haadsa akhbaar mein dekha.”

With his exuberant poetic style, Dr Naresh doled out ornate ghazals. Dr Chander Trikha touched on optimism with “Naslen kabhi udaas na hon muskaano se yaari likh, jugnu se kirne maange suraj ban bhikhari likh.”

The other poets who enthralled the audience included Usha R. Sharma, Tarsem Guzral, Arun Aditya, Subhash Rastogi and Hukam Chand Rajpal.