Conference on animal physiology
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 10
A working conference on ‘Recent concepts in cell and animal physiology’ organised by the Department of Zoology, Panjab University, was inaugurated today by Prof Veer Singh, DUI. Prof S. Chaudhry, Chairman and Director of the department, welcomed the chief guest while Prof S.K. Taneja, co-ordinator, SAP, informed the audience about the aims and objectives of the programme.

More than 75 participants are attending the conference from neighbouring colleges and universities. Prof J. Behari, Dean, School of Environmental Sciences, JNU, delivered the keynote address “Bio-electromagnetic research in India: present status and future concerns’. He spoke on use of microwave cookers, cell phones and the influence of non-ionic radiations on biological systems leading to diseases like osteoporosis.

Prof Atul Sachdeva from Government Medical College and Hospital, Sector 32, Chandigarh, spoke about the causes, clinical features, prevention and cure of the diabetes mellitus.

Dr Neeraj Jain and Dr Rema Velayadhan both from National Brain Research Centre, Manesar, addressed the audience on topics of brain research. Prof Sanjay Jain from the Department of Internal Medicine, PGI, spoke on hypertension. Response of respiratory function to normal and abnormal stresses like exercise, pregnancy, lactation, fevers and other illnesses was aptly discussed by Prof S.K. Jindal of the Department of Pulmonary Medicine, PGI. 

CIIS-Toronto institute pact on lab technicians’ degree
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 10
Mohali-based Canadian Institute for International Studies (CIIS) has entered into the contract with Canadian Michener Institute for Applied Health Sciences, Toronto, to give the educational degrees and diplomas for the Radiologist, Medical Laboratory Technicians etc.

Stating that there was a dearth of such professionals, Mr KS Mann, institute director, CIIS, pointed out that the course would be offered from September 2006.

Ms Joane Laurie, Director, international education, Michener Institute for Applied Health Sciences, founded under the name the Toronto Institute of Medical Technology, said the institute was initiated with a pilot program developed by hospital-based physicians and medical technologists in 1958. It demonstrated the value of combining learning in an educational environment with clinical education in a teaching hospital. 

NSS camp ends at Shivalik institute
Tribune News Service

Mohali, March 10
A 10-day NSS camp at Shivalik Institute of Education and Research, ended here today with a valedictory function. The chief guest was Mrs Satwant Kaur Bedi, Principal, Shivalik Public School, Mohali. The other guests were Mrs. Amteshwar Kaur, president, Generation Saviour Association and Mrs Surjeet Kaur, member, Generation Saviour Association Mohali.

The function started with college shabad, followed by song ‘We shall overcome’. A street play based on the theme ‘Drug deaddiction’ was also enacted. A poem and play on theme of women empowerment and adult literacy were also held. This was followed by a report read by the programme officer, Mrs Anupkiran Kaur, on the achievements during the 10-day camp. The camp had different events held at various places i.e. on the institution premises, Gharuan village and Valmiki Colony.

The award winners included: Best Volunteer-Navtej Kaur; Best Performer-Dalvir Singh, Best Worker-Babloo Sharma and Best Discipline-Shivani Mohan.

The students were also awarded prizes for the poster-making competition on the theme of ‘Blood Donation’. They included Navpreet, Parveen and Shikha.

Dr Satpal Kaur Grewal, Principal of the institute, proposed a vote of thanks.

Sri Sri to address DAV convocation

Law Dept students continue stir
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 10
Students of the Law Department, Panjab University, led by various student unions, continued to boycott their classes on the second day today. The students are protesting against the university’s demand for payment of late fee from over 30 students, following their migration to the department from other universities. The semester examination results of these students have been withheld due to non-payment of the fee.

Students belonging to various student unions gathered outside the Law Department this morning and later marched to the Vice-Chancellor’s office.

Punjab University Students’ Union (PUSU) President Rupinderjeet Singh Mann said in case university authorities did not pay heed to the genuine demands of the students the strike would be extended to other departments also.

DPS children’s day out
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 10
In order to enable pre-nursery students of the Delhi Public School, Sector 40, to learn more about the contribution made by people from different segments of society in their lives, the young ones were yesterday made to interact with them directly.

A field trip was organised for the children during which they were made to meet and interact with a barber, tailor, policeman, shopkeeper and postman. They also met a chef, cobbler and carpenter.

The students tried making earthen lamps at the potter's wheel, baked pizzas for themselves in the oven, used the hammer and the pincer on soles of shoes and also performed a number of other activities.

Some of the students expressed surprise on the expertise and the dexterity involved in these professions.

A role-play competition was also organised for them in which they enacted the role of the people they had met in the past one month.

Library inaugurated
Tribune News Service

Mohali, March 10
An open library was inaugurated at Sentinel Public School, Sohana, by the village Sarpanch, Ms Surjit Kaur. The school Principal, Ms Mandeep Kaur, said anyone who wanted to read a book could borrow the same by signing the register at the library.

Dr S.S. Dosanjh said any reader who was looking for a particular book which was not available at the library could suggest the name of the book and the school would procure it. 

Order reserved on ex-MC chief’s plea
Our High Court Correspondent

Chandigarh, March 10
The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Wednesday reserved its order on the petition filed by Mr Tarun Bhandari, former president of the Panchkula Municipal Council. Mr Bhandari has challenged his removal from the post.

On February 20, the court had restrained the Government of Haryana from holding election for the post of president of the MC till further orders.

Mr Bhandari has also challenged the legality of the no-confidence motion passed against him on February 15. He alleged that the February 15 meeting, which was ultimately held as per schedule since the high court did not stay its holding, could not have been held within six months of the last meeting.

Violin maestro strikes a chord
S.D. Sharma

Chandigarh, March 10
“The renaissance of Indian classical arts in western countries, in fact, promoted established and vested artistes rather than their respective realms of art,” says 78-year-old Chennai-based violin maestro, Padmabhushan T.N. Krishnan.

Talking to Chandigarh Tribune, he said Vedic music had a big impact on the world music scene.

Violin being a western instrument, the response on all his foreign tours was exhilarating, he said. Back home, he is disillusioned to find few takers for classical arts, especially violin, which, he says, is subtly close to human voice. He said the youth in the South had a better appreciation for the Carnatic system of classical music and dance.

“Music basically involves the creation of emotionally pleasing effects by means of sound, with the basic elements of melody, rhythm and harmony which is common to both Indian and Carnatic music conventions or styles. These (styles) depend on the taste of the people which is conditioned by age, clime, environment and social milieu,” says Krishanan.

As a child prodigy, Krishnan caught the attention of the music literati after a landmark performance at the AIR. “My illustrious guru and father A. Narayanan Iyer while imparting training laid special emphasis on melodic clarity, spectral fidelity and a bold and emphatic bowing technique. However, the legendary virtuoso Sammangudi Srinivasa Iyer shaped my music potential and I follow the Sammangudi style of playing violin,” he says with pride.

Later, the violin wizard regaled the audience at a concert held at the auditorium of the Institute of Microbial Technology (IMTECH). The event, brought to the city by the Chandigarh chapter of SPIC MACAY as part of Fest-2006 with The Tribune group of newspapers as the media sponsor, was largely attended by Carnatic music lovers.

The maestro commenced the violin recital with a short alaap of raag “balwadari”, which melted into “keertanam”, a classic Tyagaraja composition. He introduced the accompanists Trichu Narendren on mridangam and Vaikum Gopalakrishnan, in style in an array of “sawal and jawab” presentation. The maestro doled out compositions with spontaneous expressions.

He delved deep into the finer nuances of raag “kafi” and “tanam” in his exuberant style. The master was at his best while presenting “ragamalika”, a composite delineation of various raags with prominent rendition of raag “mohanam”, “ranjani” and “hindolam”.

Amitabh ‘sabsey favourite hero’
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 10
Having completed week-long activities in 15 towns of the north zone, the nomination results of “Star Gold’s Schwarzkopf Palette Sabsey Favourite Kaun 2006” were declared here today.

In the sabsey favourite hero north zone category, the popularity charts have swung in favour of Amitabh Bachchan followed by his own son Abhishek at number two, said Mr Puneet Johar, senior vice-president, marketing and communication, Star India.

In the sabsey favourite heroine category Aishwarya Rai is leading followed by Rani Mukherji and Preity Zinta in the second and third slot respectively. The results for the comic hero, naya hero, nayi heroine and favourite film have also been announced.