Chandigarh, August 29
In a morale-boosting endeavour, Panjab University Vice-Chancellor Prof R.C. Sobti announced the creation of a special fund for those sportspersons who excel in inter-university, national and international events. “Work harder, win more medals and earn greater glory and you will not find me lacking in any way,” he said.

He was speaking at a felicitation function organised by the Department of Physical Education under the aegis of its chairperson Dr G.S. Brar where 65 sportspersons from the university and its affiliated colleges were honoured for their sporting achievements.

He spoke extensively about the need to foster team spirit and camaraderie and to lay aside differences to achieve sporting glory for the country and the university. He asked all the students present to respond to the National Sports Day pledge taken by them by winning the MAKA Trophy in the next session, which had gone to Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar this year.

He emphasised that sports are in no way less important than academics.

He also announced a grant of Rs 2 lakh for the renovation of the auditorium at the Department of Evening Studies, where the function was held.

Also speaking on the occasion, Dr G.S. Brar spoke on the relevance of National Sports Day appealing to the students present to spread the message of physical education and sports to the masses so that the nation can imbibe their benefits.

He quoted the example of hockey wizard Major Dhyan Chand, whose birthday was commemorated as National Sports Day today. “He had only studied up to the Class VI but his passion for his country and his game was so great that it overrode all deterrents,” he said.

In fact, this is the first time ever that a National Sports Day function has been held in the University. The main attraction of the function was Harveen Sarao (SGGC, Sector 26) ace shooter who won the gold in shooting at the World University Games held recently in Bangkok and Kamini Gautam (Dev Samaj College for Women, Sector 45) who represented India in handball at the Asian Games held at Doha in 2006. Yatin Sharma from DAV-10, who won a bronze medal at the All India Inter University Basketball tournament, generated much applause for his height, which stood at 6‘8”.

Earlier in the morning, the department also organised a mini marathon around the campus in which 40 boys and 35 girls participated. Prof Paramjit Tiwari, DSW (Women) and Prof Naval Kishore DSW (Men) gave the prizes to the winners.

In the men’s section the winners were: Sureh, Political Science (MA-II Year), Sandeep BPEd and Bhupinder (MPEd-II) In the women’s sections the winners were: Rooman Devi (MPEd-I), Amandeep Kaur (BPEd) and Manju Chahal (MPEd-I)

The others who were honoured were: Gagandeep Kaur and Lovneet Kaur (Ramgarhia Girls College), Arvinder Kaur (Ramgarhia Girls College), Shelley (MCM DAV College)-weightlifting, Pooja (MCM DAV College)- football, Amandeep Brar (MCM DAV College)-netball, Reeta (PU), Shikha Gupta (PU)- kho kho, Amandeep Kaur (PU)- athletics, Pankaj (PU), Megha (PU)-- baseball, Sandeep Rana (PU)- netball, Sandeep Kumar (PU)- netball, Bhupesh (PU)- gymnastics, Pardeep (PU)- korfball, Chetan (PU)- gymnastics, Bhupinder (PU)- handball, Vipan Kamboj (PU)- rowing, Sonia Verma (PU)- handball, Parveen (PU)-volleyball, Roma Pandey (PU)- badminton, Rinchen (PU)- archery, Santosh (PU)- handball, Rrachi Malik (PU)-- netball, Manju Chahal (PU)- badminton, Rooman (PU)- handball, Pankaj Singh (PU)- Softball, Sakshi (PU)- athletics, Jatinder Singh (PU)- softball, Amanpreet Singh (PU)- football, Priyanka Chaudhary (PU)-judo, Nand Lal Verma (PU)- handball, Sukhpal (DAV College)--basketball, Deepinder Rana (DAV College)--basketball, Vijay Rana and Baljeet Singh (DAV College)-softball, Baljeet Singh, Sahil Jain (DAV College)-softball, Ravinder Singh (SD College)-softball, Mukul (SD College)-football, Parvinder Singh (SD College), Mohamad Ali (SD College)-softball, Navdeep Singh (SD College), Devinder Rawat (SD College)- baseball, Veerpal Kaur (GNG College)-softball, Manjeet (GNG College)-softball, Mandeep (GNG College)-judo, Sukhwinder (GNG College), Baljinder (GNG College)-softball, Harminder (GNG College)-baseball, Poonam (GNG College)-judo, Rajbir (GNG College), Shaminder (GNG College), Renu (GNG College), Neetu (GNG College), Rajbir (GNG College), Gurpreet (GNG College), Harbans Singh (GNG College) swimming and Simarjeeet Kaur, Daljeet Kaur and Sanjeet Kaur (GHG Khalsa College Gurusar Sudar)-football and Chetan Thakur (SD College) softball.

Seminar
The department of sociology organised the second weekly seminar of the 2007-08 session on the ‘Concept of Human Rights in Arthashastra of Kautilya’. The seminar was delivered by professor N.K. Ojha, department of ancient Indian history, culture and archaeology. Ojha talked about various human rights issues of the fourth century BC. His main focus was on the rights of women, especially relating to their empowerment and widow re-marriage.

Programme
The department of chemistry, in collaboration with the Punjab State Council for Science and Technology (PSCST), Chandigarh, is organising a seven-day motivation programme for schoolchildren from Wednesday. Thirty students from Punjab are attending the residential camp. The camp was inaugurated by professor VC R.C. Sobti.

Professor I.S. Dua, chairman, department of botany, was today’s key speaker. 
— TNS

Chandigarh, August 29
Panjab University’s endeavour to streamline admissions seems to hit a stumbling block every now and then.

Today, it was counselling for MEd which saw a vociferous protest by students on the first day. This led to postponement of counselling for the general category.

Youngsters who had come from all over Punjab claimed that the merit list put up was incorrect and did not carry names of those who had got higher marks.

While 200 students had been called today, the list put up indicated the cut-off at 66.31 per cent. However, on tabulating the marks of BEd and the entrance test, discrepancies were found in the final list released.

The problems for the department did not end here. Some students whose BEd result was declared on August 24 complained about the conflicting instructions issued by the department authorities.

Since the last date for submission of application forms for MEd admissions was August 24 by 3 pm, they had been told since they could not submit their applications on time, they could bring their forms today and their applications would be considered. However this did not happen.

Sources admit that “certain discrepancies” have appeared in the list. A press note states that counselling for all reserved categories will be held on August 30 from 9.30 am onwards. Counselling for the remaining general category candidates will now be held on August 31 from 9.30 am onwards and for all remaining reserved category candidates (if any seat is left) at 5 pm on August 31.

The vice-chancellor has already marked an

inquiry into the whole affair which will be conducted by DUI S.K. Kulkarni.

However Professor Kulkarni when contacted denied any knowledge of the same.

Chandigarh, August 29
The Punjab Sahit Akademy organised a ‘Ru-Ba-Ru’ with eminent Punjabi writer Santokh Singh Dheer at the Gandhi Bhavan auditorium, Punjab University, here today.

Well-known literary luminaries and students of the university participated in the session, which saw Dheer sharing his literary voyage.

“I never wanted to be a poet, but an affluent rich man,” disclosed the winner of the National Sahitya Akademy Award and the Shiromani Lekhak Sanmaan.

“My father, a prolific poet and proponent of progressive communist ideology used to publish his poems under my name. Although this won appreciation, it made me feel small as my standing as a poet was purely parasitic,” Dheer discloses.

A symposium organised by poet Gulzar at Rawalpindi proved to be the turning point of Dheer’s life and he soon found himself in the realm of literary writing.

With his versatility, encompassing the three genres of poetry, novel and short stories, Dheer has established his supremacy.

Earlier, akademy secretary Dr Nahar Singh welcomed Dheer and the guests, while Dr Surinder Kumar Deveshwar introduced the poet.