EDUCATION

Awareness camps on vocational education
Tribune News Service

Mohali, December 12
Jan Shikshan Sansthan, Mohali, organised awareness camps on vocational education in Bhago Majra, Bajheri and Daon villages of the Kharar block from December 9 to 11 to educate youths, particularly neo-literates and illiterates, about the need and relevance of vocational education.

Addressing the audience, Mr Anand Mohan Sharma, programme officer of JSS Mohali, informed about various vocational courses in computers, refrigeration and AC mechanism, electrical technician, plumbing and sanitary work, welding, home management, beauty culture and health care, embroidery, soft toy-making and cutting, tailoring and dress making being run at the Sansthan. He also explained the admission process, course fees and the duration of the courses.

Mr A.K. Gupta, programme officer, also from JSS Mohali, informed about various avenues available to students and youths who had acquired vocational skills. He gave tips on how to gain expertise in different trades.

Ms Savitri Devi, instructor, JSS Mohali, said globalisation had generated a lot of employment opportunities for women in fields like beauty culture and health care, dress designing, food preservation and nutrition. They can take benefit of these opportunities by developing their skills through vocational training courses, which would improve their chances of employment/self-employment.

Mr Sukhdarshan Singh, Director, Punjab State Red Cross Hospital, Khanpur village spoke on the problem of drug addiction among youths in Punjab. He pointed out various symptoms for the identification of a drug addict. He emphasised the need of sympathetic behaviour towards drug addicts. Besides, he laid stress on the counselling of the addicts as well as their family members. He also informed about physical, mental and emotional deterioration caused by drug addiction.

Certificates were distributed to the students who completed training in the “Maintenance and repair of gas chullah and cooker” course and “Hand embroidery” course organised by JSS Mohali at Bajheri and Daon villages, respectively.

Mr Ravinder Singh, Sarpanch, Bhago Majra village, Ms Mohinder Kaur, Principal, Govt High School, Bhago Majra, Ms Amber Walia, Supervisor, CDPO Office Block Kharar, Mr Ashok Kumar, Chairman, Naujawan Sudhar Sabha, Bajheri and Ms Supinder Kaur, Sarpanch, village Daon, also participated in the awareness camps.

Dr Simon to deliver lecture at MCM college today
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 12
Dr Simon Singh, author of “Fermat’s Last Theorem” and “The Code Book”, would be delivering a lecture on “Big Bang — the history of universe in 60 minutes” at MCM DAV College for Women (Multimedia Hall), Sector 36, Chandigarh, tomorrow.

The lecture is on his latest book, “Big Bang — a history of cosmology”. Dr Simon Singh would recount how the theory emerged and would also tell the story of brilliant and eccentric scientists who fought against the establishment idea of an eternal and unchanging cosmos. He will also look at the astronomical evidence in favour of a big bang moment of creation and discuss why today’s cosmologists remain confident that the Big Bang Theory is an accurate description of the origin and evolution of the universe.

Mock test on Dec 25
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 12
Chitkara Institute of Competitions yesterday announced that it would be conducting a mock test for the CBSE Class X board examination here on December25.The tests in mathematics and science are being prepared by top experts in the subject, who have years of experience in the field. This is the fifth year in which Chitkara is conducting the mock test and over 1500 students are expected to take part in it. The objective of conducting the test is to provide a unique platform where students experience the environment of CBSE Class X board examination, 2 months before they actually sit for it.

According to Dr. Ashok Chitkara, Chairman, Chitkara Institute of Competitions, "Our focus has always been on helping and developing students to achieve their greatest potential.''

The results of the Class X practice CBSE mock test will be declared online on January 17, 2006, at www.chitkara.org The student who tops the mock test will be awarded Rs.5000 while the runner-up will receive Rs.3000 The third ranked student will get Rs. 2000.

Aviation hospitality institute launched
Tribune News Service

Mohali, December 12
The chairperson of the Punjab State Commission for Women, Mrs Parminder Kaur, today admitted that at least 10 per cent of the cases of alleged atrocities against women that reached the commission were cases of women trying to misuse law in their favour.

Mrs Parminder Kaur was talking to mediapersons at the launch of the AHM Aviation Hospitality and Management Institute here today. Stating that counselling of families in matters relating to marital discords was yielding good results, Mrs Parminder Kaur added that educated women had the ability to sort out problems much better than uneducated women.

Mrs Parminder Kaur was accompanied by Parul Choudhry, a former Gladrags mega model winner at the launch. Sharing her experience as an air hostess before she took up modelling Parul said air hostesses had to work very hard. “Though there was glamour and adventure attached to the profession, being an airhostess means you will have to work for at least 14 hours a day. But the emoluments are high and many airhostesses earn a lot of money working with international airlines,” she said.

Giving details of the courses, Mr Anil Jinsi, GM Operations, said they would offer a one-year diploma in aviation hospitality and a two-year diploma in global aviation hospitality and management. He pointed out that the annual fee per student was around Rs 75000. “The Mohali centre would be model for the franchisees that AHM would open in the near future,” he said.

Seminar on role of Sufis
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 12
The Department of History, Panjab University, is organising a two-day seminar on “The role of Sufis in the making of Medieval Punjab” beginning tomorrow. The seminar is being organised in collaboration with the Iran Culture House, New Delhi, which functions as the educational-cum-cultural wing of the Iranian Embassy in India and is engaged in promoting such activities in all parts of the country.

The inaugural session of the seminar will be held at 10 a.m. in the auditorium of the Deparement of Evening Studies. Prof Veer Singh, Dean University Instruction, will deliver the inaugural address. Mr H.M. Muzaffari, Director, Iran Culture House, will also address the participants and delegates. Prof I.H. Siddiqui, a renowned authority on medieval Indian history and belongs to the prestigious Centre of Advanced Study in History, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, will deliver the keynote address.

PU extends date for B.Ed exam forms
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 12
Panjab University has extended the last date for receipt of examination forms and fees for the B.Ed annual examination of 2006 for regular college candidates from December 3 to 30. The university will charge the normal fee for the same till December 30 while a sum of Rs 1015 will be charged from candidates who deposit the form within one week after the last date, January 7, 2006. A sum of Rs 3040 will be charged from candidates who apply not later than 2 months before the date of commencement of examinations. A sum of Rs 6040 would be charged from candidates who apply not later than one month before the commencement of examination and Rs 12080 will be charged as late fee from candidates who apply not later than seven working days before the commencement of the examination.

Function at PU chemistry dept
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, December 12
The annual get-together of the Old Students Association (OSA) of the chemistry department of Panjab University was marked by seminars, cultural programme and reunion of the department. It had the chairman of the department, Dr G.L. Kad, secretary OSA, Prof J.K. Puri, among these who helped in holding this function held in the English department of the PU.

Moshina, a kathak dancer and a student of the department, regaled the audience. The alumni of the department chief guest, Dr K.K. Paul, now Commissioner of Police, Delhi and son of former PU VC Dr R.C. Paul, also graced the occasion. A talk titled “The man of the century” by Professor S. Puri, an eminent physicist, was also held on the occasion.

Directory of senior Stephanians
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 12
Stephanians now will be able to locate each other more easily since the college alumni association is bringing out a new directory of “senior Stephanians”, as those who have graduated from St Stephen’s College, Delhi, are called, according to Mr B.S. Shukarchakia.

Mr Shukarchakia is a Chandigarh-based member of the coordination committee set up to plan events to commemorate the 125th anniversary of the college on February 1, 2006.

“I request all Stephanians to contact me at 0172-260 3218 or the secretary of the Old Boys Association of the college, Mr Arvind Malhotra 098110-40048, in order to get the forms etc,” he said, adding, “we are planning a commemorative event in Chandigarh, too, in January.” 

COURTS

Court order to mobile company on ring tones
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 12
The Delhi High Court has restrained mobile phone company Spice Telecom from producing, reproducing or making available to its subscribers ring tones or song clips from the sound recordings having copyrights of the Hindi movies. “Mujhse Shaadi Karogi”, “Dus” and “Maine Pyar Kyun Kiya”.

Music company Super Cassettes Industries Limited, owner of T-Series brand, owns the copyright of the music of these films.

In its petition, the company has accused Spice Telecom of infringing on its copyrights for the music and songs by unauthorisedly providing to its subscribers clips of the title song of “Mujhse Shadi Karogi”, song “Just Chill” from the movie “Maine Pyar Kyon Kiya”, and song “Dus Bahane” from the movie “Dus”.

According to the petition, despite legal notice sent to Spice, it continued to allow its subscribers to play the clips of the songs on their handsets through the in-built MP3 players.

Taking up the petition, Mr Justice A.K. Sikri of the Delhi High Court, while restraining Spice Telecom, ordered that the case be listed for January 17, 2006.

CULTURE

Talat Aziz weaves magic
S.D. Sharma

Talat Aziz

“Teri nighah”-e-mast ne maqmmol kar diya, kya mekde ko jaaon tujhe dekhne ke baad” or “peete hain nazr se roz magr haathon mein hamaare jaam nahin” and many more rendered in the mellifluous voice of acclaimed ghazal and playback singer Talat Aziz induced an aroma of romanticism and intoxication in the ambience of the Punjab and Haryana High Court complex.

The scintillating ghazal concert held in the specially erected beautifully decorated cozy pandal augmented the spirit of the golden jubilee celebrations. Amidst the galaxy of legal luminaries from India and Pakistan, the Haryana Chief Minister, Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda, the Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, Mr Justice D.K. Jain, and Dr A.R. Kidwai, Governor, Haryana, were present.

A disciple of ustad Mehdi Hasan and introduced by Jagjit Singh rose to fame for his popular film songs in “Umarao Jaan”, “Bazaar”, “Daddy”, “Yatra” and many more. The ghazal exponent opened up with Shayyed Shaidy’s qalaam “Kaise Sakoon paaon tujhe dekhne ke baad” and “Baat phoolon ki” recorded two decades ago.

He embellished the brief alaap in the lower octave with modulation of his baritone voice while rendering couplets weaved in a similar sentiment from his other compositions.

Another soulful rendition of poet Nusrat “Chahenge tujhe par kabhi rusva naa karenge saaye se bhi apne tera shiva naa karenge” was well received. Talat Aziz brought alive the philosophical content of “Har mulaqat ka anjaam judai kyon hai” before taking on a classic nagma “Aaj jaane ki zid naa karo”, immortalised by legends like Habib Ali, Farida Khanum, Ghulam Ali and now Asha Bhonsle.

Aziz established a rapport with the audience while explaining the complex Urdu poetry. The mehfil reached the climax with a fast number “Tu jo meri sharaab ho jaaye, Zindagi lajwaab ho jaaye, Teri nazron se jaam peeker saare gamon ka hosaab ho jaaye”.

The maestro also obliged the audience with requests.

Jeetu Shanker was on tabla and won tremendous applause, while Pardip Shrama (harmonium), Ahsaan Ahmed (sarangi), Rajesh Parsanna (flute) and Kishan Malhotra (keyboard) provided a good accompaniment.

Comedy album takes a dig at social issues
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 12
Punjabis are known for their sense of humour. They are the people who can laugh at themselves. There has been a tradition of wit blended with satire in Punjab’s countryside. For centuries, it has been passing on from one generation to other by word of mouth. There used to be a particular community called “marasies,” which was known for its ready wit and satire.

However, in the past few years the scenario has changed. Now comedy and wit have become an integral part of stageshows not only in Punjab but also elsewhere. In a fine manner, comedy and wit have been marketed by performing artistes like Jaspal Bhatti, Jaswinder Bhalla, Bhagwant Mann, who are in great demand.

In fact, these artistes have fine tuned comedy and raised its level by adding a sting do it and refining its content. And these artistes are quite daring. They spare none while taking a dig at social or political leaders.

Jaswinder Bhalla, who is popular as Chacha Chattar Singh, Bal Mukand Sharma and Neelu, all three established comedians, have come out with a comedy compact disc and audio cassette titled “Chhankata-2005”. Laced with political humour and satire, it keeps one engrossed right from the word go. Its music by Tarun Rishi syncronises well with its content. An equally comical song sung by Sukhwinder Sukhi has added charm to it.

It has handled even a sensitive issue of apology by the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, with regard to the anti-Sikh riots with such a finesse that it touches one’s soul. Jaswinder and Bal Mukanad belonged to a new genre of comedians.

In a very straight manner, Jaswinder Bhalla exposes the performance of the present Punjab Government. He talks about potholed roads and other facilities, which have been withdrawn by the present government.

Satire on Punjab’s political events finds a special place. What will Mr Parkash Singh Badal do if he comes to power? Bhalla dwells on this issue in a very sarcastic manner. “Nille chhudwao, chitte farwao” (he will get Akalis released and put Congressmen behind bar). Bhalla has tried to highlight political rivalry in Punjab in his own style.

A subtle satire on Jagdev Singh Jassowal, folk singer Mehsopuria and others of his ilk, masters, doctors, police is also part of this cassette. A good part is devoted to urban Sikhs.