Ludhiana, November 8
Sacred Soul Convent School, Dugri Road, Dhandra (Ludhiana), celebrated ‘Anmol Sports Day’ on the school campus today. Mr G.S. Gill, president of the Maji Thakri Education Society, was the chief guest.

The inter-house sports function (houses were marathan-red, torch-bearer yellow, mountaineer-green and blue) started with an impressive march past by the students dressed in different house colours. The marathan-red house led the march past. Students also presented dumble and dandi dance.

The first item was the musical chair event played by the tiny tots of nursery class. Students of other classes took part in long jump, high jump, shot put, 25 m, 50 m, 100 m and matka races and also in the inter-house kho-kho.

The kho-kho final match was won by the red house. Apart from the sports, students also presented Gidha which was highly praised by the spectators.

The Chief guest, Mr G.S. Gill, gave away the prizes to the winners.

Ludhiana, November 8
If "a good book is the precious life blood of a master spirit," as Milton said, books by the hundreds are on display at the three-day book exhibition at Punjab Agricultural University (PAU).

The exhibition, sponsored by M.S. Randhawa Library, was inaugurated by Vice-Chancellor Dr K. S. Aulakh here today.

About 40 odd publishers are participating in the exhibition with a wide array of books spanning from agri-sciences to computer sciences, nanotechnology to organic cultivation, geosciences to mass communication, food and environmental security to business management.

While browsing through several books Dr Aulakh said, "After a day's hard work, I find reading a book more relaxing than watching television". Though his favorite author is P.G. Woodhouse, his range of interests stretch from religious books to history and humour. Once in a while, he loves to watch movies that are educative.

In order to promote Punjabi literature and the reading habit, Dr Aulakh announced that publishers exclusively displaying books in Punjabi would be given a concession in ground rent.

The Librarian, Dr S.S.Chahal, who is instrumental in organising the book exhibition, said the University Library has a collection of over 3.44 lakh books and journals. It has 2200 members. The library is equipped with state-of-the art services and also provides specialised services on current awareness, selective dissemination of information through CD ROM data bases, on-line data bases, internet personal contact programmes and library compilation.

The library staff is well-trained and has prepared several reference booklets like a University Library brochure, a catalogue of theses available in the library from 1995-2005, a directory of faculty and another on select periodicals etc.

Dr Chahal said the faculty could avail of the opportunity to purchase books for personal use and would get financial assistance in return, as per rules. In fact, during the academic year 2005-06, 291 faculty got the benefit of this scheme and availed a subsidy of Rs 1.50 lakh. The thumb rule is that a faculty member spending Rs 4000 on books is reimbuirsed 50 per cent of the cost. The University Library, he said, is also a rich repository of scientific journals. 

Ludhiana, November 8
A joint rally by five teachers' bodies namely, the Democratic Teachers' Front, the Elementary Teachers Union, the ETT Teachers Union ,the Government Teachers Union and the Adhaypak Dalwas was held in front of Mini Secretariat here today.

Hundreds of teachers protested against the anti-employee and anti-teachers policies of the government.

Spokespersons of different unions- Bhajan Singh, Joginder Azad, Gurmeet Singh Mohi, Pritpal Singh Mandiani, Satbir Singh Rauni, Parminder Singh Chauhan, Balraj Ghoulati and Paranjit Singh Mann- said the recent packages announced by the government for teachers are not in good faith of the teachers. Government has blanked out thousands of vacancies of teachers. The state of education is such that against 4000 posts for teachers, lakhs of unemployed teachers apply. The government has decimated the education system into pieces.

Moreover, it was high time the government took education away from the hands of Zila Parishads, the teachers said.

Teachers whose promotion was held up should be promoted. Similarly those teachers who have not received salaries for the last few months should get their salaries.

Rampant corruption in the Education Department should be checked and the guilty punished. Computer teachers should get salaries at par with elementary teachers, were some of the demands of agitating teachers.