School to set up astronomy club
Our Correspondent

Mohali, August 26
St Xaviers School, Sector 71, here is all out to set up an astronomy club for students of various classes to create awareness about the celestial bodies and the universe as a whole.

This was being done after seeing enthusiastic response of students to a mobile planetarium brought to the school by a Dehra Dun-based private company.

The club will have a strength of 25 students who will be given extra coaching in the filed of astronomy. They will be preparing different projects on computers and these will be sent to NASA for clearance.

Ms Georgina Roy, Principal, said the club would be a forum for the students for making preparations to join NASA. She said that encouragement from parents was a must in such ventures. Students from Classes VI onwards would be made members of the club. The school had organised an astronomy week from August 21 to August 28. Parents were invited for a show.

A portable planetarium was brought to the school by Mr Rajbir Garewal, GM (Operations), Equinox, a Dehra Dun-based company, which has been holding shows across the country. Mr Garewal said the aim for holding such shows was to spread astronomy education and awareness among the students.

He said an interactive show was organised for the students with the astronomer conducting live presentation. A telescope was also being arranged for the school.

From Colleges
NSS volunteers vow to work for unity
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 26
The NSS unit of GGDSD College, Sector 32, celebrated “sadbhavna and communal harmony divas” on the college campus today.

The volunteers of the NSS took the sadbhavna pledge and resolved to work for the emotional oneness and harmony of all people of India, regardless of caste, region, religion or language. They also pledged to resolve all differences through dialogue and constitutional means without resorting to violence.

The volunteers delivered speeches on communal harmony. Enunciating the words of Mahatma Gandhi, the students vowed to uphold the principles of harmony and strive towards building a world where there is no war or threat of war.

MCM DAV College: The postgraduate classes of MCM DAV College got together for their freshers’ party on Saturday. The party was an amalgam of rock and roll performances and traditional tunes. The performances ranged from solo dance and group dance to solo singing. The girls came dressed in their best. Performances on “yeh galiyan yeh chaubara” by MA (Hindi) girls gave many girls a nostalgic moment. The main attraction of the party was the performance by the department of mass communication on latest Bollywood tracks.

Science exhibition from Oct 31
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 26
The Science Exhibition will be held in the city from October 31, an official press note said here yesterday. The exhibition will continue till November 6 at Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 37.

This decision was taken at a State Advisory Committee meeting headed by Director Public Instructions (Colleges), Mrs Raji P. Shrivastva. The annual action plan of the Population Education Project was approved at the meeting.

A question bank will be developed for Class IX and X in Social Science. Population Week will be celebrated and advocacy programme will also be conducted for 30 schools principals to sensitise them for organising activities during the week.

The National poster and photo competition is likely to be organised. Declamation, debate, poster-making, kite flying, and creative writing competitions are also being planned.

PU Prof’s wife donates books
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 26
Ms Prabha Saxena, wife of late Prof D.C. Saxena, donated all law books of her husband’s library to the library of Department of Laws. These were formally accepted by the Dean, University Instruction, and Vice-Chancellor at a simple ceremony at the department here today.

Addressing the gathering, Dr R.C. Sobti, Vice-Chancellor, Panjab University, suggested that the university should devise mechanisms to perpetuate the memory and highlight the achievements of scholars like Dr D.C. Saxena.

Dr Veer Singh, Dean, University Instruction, Panjab University said Dr Saxena was an outstanding teacher and had contributed a great deal for the growth of society.

Mr Vipin Pubby, Resident Editor, Indian Express, recalled his association with the Professor.

Among others who addressed the gathering included Dr Rana Nayyar and Prof Shashi K. Sharma, Chairman, Department of Laws.

Atray is SJOBA president

Chandigarh, August 26
Mr Vivek Atray, Director Public Relations, Chandigarh Administration, today took over as president of St John’s Old Boys Association (SJOBA), a press note said here.

Other office-bearers include vice presidents — Mr Navpreet Aujla, Mr Arvinder Brar and Mr Vishal Sharma; secretary — Mr Shivneet Singh Chitranjan Aggarwal; and treasurer — Mr Chitranjan Aggarwal. — TNS

Scintillating performance by Shovana
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, August 26
The magnificence, vitality and vigour of the popular Indian classical dance form, kathak, was brought alive by the kathak virtuso Shovana Narayan at Tagore Theatre here today.

The indelible kathak recital, organised by Pracheen Kala Kendra to mark its golden jubilee celebrations, got off to a majestic start as the chief guest Mr R.M. Aggarwal, IFS, and Mr H.K. Dua, Editor in Chief of the Tribune group of newspapers, lighted the sacred ‘jyoti’.

Shovana, the bureaucrat dance maestro, had given a new dimension to the dance realm incorporating the innovated themes of social relevance with humanistic vision in all her creations. Her opening presentation ‘ardhnarishwar’ eloquently depicts the poetic voyage of womanhood.

Weaved in the soulful strains of raga ‘bhairavi’ and perceptible influence of raga ‘ahir bhairav’, the rendition with matching nimble footwork was a rare feat of artistic delight. Shovana had, in fact, cultivated her compositions, which tend to intervene in the social and cultural dialogue.

Her endeavour for woman empowerment found illustration in the concluding choreographic composition ‘koham’ where in the ‘desolate’ woman fights for her identity.

Meanwhile, she demonstrated the basic syllables of kathak with elaboration of parans, thaats, tode tukde with brief explanations within the rhythmic formats. She established an instant rapport with the audience while doling out the dance sequences.

Floating across the stage with consummate ease and perfection, Shovana virtually danced her way into the hearts of the inquisitive audience.

The accomplished set of musicians, including Pandit Madho Prasad on vocals, Shakeel Ahmed Khan on tabla, Vijay Sharma on sitar and Nitin Jain on technical back up, contributed a lot to make the dance soiree a memorable evening for the art lovers of the city beautiful.

Mr Aggarwal honoured the artistes.

Graceful, gifted Kathak dancer
S.D. Sharma

Chandigarh, August 26
Endowed with the solemnity and spiritual grandeur every Indian classical dance form creates its own aura and exhales its particular atmosphere. So is true of the ‘Kathak’ dance tradition,’ observed the acclaimed Kathak queen, Shovana Narayan. The bureaucrat Kathak guru presently holding the position of Director-General, Audit, Government of India, is in the city for a Kathak recital at the Tagore Theatre at the invitation of the Pracheen Kala Kendra. The maverick genius, Shovana, is the blessed one who became aware of her aesthetic potential at an early age and took her impassioned obsession of dancing as a calling and destiny.

Talking to The Tribune she maintained that the Kathak dance in particular stimulated the senses. She did not remember precisely when she submerged in the divine bliss of the fine art . Shovana Narayan is identified with Kathak for scores of reasons. She is graceful, gifted and committed to her craft. Blending the elegance of the Lucknow gharana and the precision of the Jaipur school and philosophical thinking through innovative choreographies had established her as a visionary pioneer in the realm of classical dancing.

Trained under the legendary maestros, including Pandit Birju Maharaj, Shovana was initiated into Kathak at the tender age of four by the well-known dancer-actress of yesteryear, Sadhana Bose at Kolkata. Shovana after four decades of illustrious career as a prolific dance maestro calls herself a ‘sadhak’.

It is imperative to delve deep to explore the ethereal mysteries of, nay realm of art or profession with the disciplined dedication and sincerity. She disclosed having published her ninth book. Success or achievements, she says, are all illusions but call it a success mantra that my in-depth study and strenuous ‘riyaz’ rejuvenates me to take up the challenges of my profession and passion.