New Delhi, February 24
Two students, including a girl were killed while two of their friends were seriously injured when the high speed Skoda car they were driving crashed into a road side tree near India Gate in the wee hours today.

Sneha Kapoor and Anirudh Rawat died on the spot while Satyajeet and Gaurav were seriously injured.

All four were returning home after attending a marriage party when Anirudh on the wheel lost control over the car resulting in the accident.

The police suspects that the youth was under the influence of alcohol leading to the loosing of control over the vehicle and resulting in a crash. Broken glass bottles were found at the site of accident.

Sneha and Anirudh lived at Sector-25, Noida. While Sneha was the 2nd year student of M.A (Psychology) at Amity University, Anirudh had come from Dehr Dun to pursue a professional course at Delhi University.

He lived all alone in C Block of Sector 25. Gaurav, who resides in Sector 22 of Noida is admitted with intestinal infections at Bhardwaj Nursing Home.

New Delhi, February 24
Delhi power minister A. K. Walia assured that there would be no hike in power tariff for domestic and agricultural consumers.

He said that the state cabinet on February 22 had decided to freeze power tariff at the level of 2004-05 for the two categories of consumers.

It had also decided to release subsidy to ensure no power tariff hike for domestic and agricultural consumers.

Expressing the government’s commitment to safeguard the interests of power consumers in the city, Walia said that the government would bear the marginal increase announced by the Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission (DERC).

Announcing reduction in power rates, he said that consumers who would contain their monthly consumption to 150/200 units during non-peak and peak months respectively, would be charged one rupee less i.e. Rs 1.20 per unit.

This would not only provide relief to poor families whose consumption is limited but would also exhort others to conserve electricity. They would limit their power consumption to avail the subsidy.

Walia expressed confidence that more than 10 lakh consumers, mostly from poor families, would be benefited from this scheme.

He said that the government had been releasing subsidy to negate hike of 10 per cent as announced in 2005.

The government would take all steps including additional subsidy to ensure tariff freeze similar to the level in 2004-05.

He said that his department had intensified monitoring to ensure uninterrupted power supply in the Capital.Committees have been set up at Assembly levels to take stock of deficiencies in supply.

The elected representatives are also being apprised about the ground-level realities. Walia expressed confidence that uninterrupted power supply and status quo in respect of power tariff would become possible with fast reduction in AT & C losses.

New Delhi, February 24
Ankur Gupta lost his sight when he was just three. He started looking into the world of music and got his first award from the social welfare minister at the age of five.

Ankur,16, learned Braille at the National School of Blind, which was followed by his lessons in music. “When I was five I started learning the casio,” said Ankur. “I started learning classical vocal music an year after.”

He knew he always had a special attraction for the classical ragas. “I like the ragas. “I got enrolled with the Gandharva School of Music and passed my fourth year of music from Allahabad University.”

After singing for a film and winning several acclaims, Ankur is presently learning from Aamir Ahmed Khan Guruji. “Luckily, I have become a part of the Patiala gharana,” said Ankur.

“I have quite a lot of favourites. The list includes, Mohd. Rafi sahab, Lata Mangeshkar, Sonu Nigam and Kailash Kher,” he said.

Music might be his primary interest, but it is not the only one. “I love dancing, chess and collecting cricket cards, while pizza is something that I love out of the food list.”

Modestly, Ankur counts the contribution of his parents, brothers, Guruji, school staff and friends, who have always been there supporting him throughout. “I want to become a playback singer,” he said. “I really want to do something for the disabled children.”

New Delhi, February 24
A photo-exhibition providing an unusual glimpse into Afghanistan will be launched on February 25 at Convention Foyer Gallery, India Habitat Centre, here.

The photographs by Rakesh Sood, till recently India’s ambassador in Kabul, and Aly Mawji who represents the Aga Khan Development Network in Afghanistan, will be on display till February 27.

lThe Galleria here is presenting ‘The Next Awakening’, a  show of paintings by upcoming artists from across the country.

Among the artists are — Raj Mohanty, Pradeep Puthoor, Paradosh Swain, Nandita Chowdhury, Falguni Gokhale, Mahua Sen, Roopa Shree, Rashmi Dogra and Veejayant Dash.

The show will start from February 26 and continue till February 28 at Open Palm Court Gallery, India Habitat Centre. Dr Alka Pande will inaugurate the exhibition.

lThe Polka Art Gallery here in collaboration with Bentley Motors is presenting ‘The Bentley Polka Art Show’ from March 2 to March 7. The preview of the show will be held on February 27 at the Hotel Ashok in Chanakya Puri.

Akbar Padamsee, Anwar Khan, Arzan Khambatta, Brinda Miller, Krishnmachari Bose, Nitish Bhattacharjee, Paritosh Sen, Sanjay Bhattacharya, S.H. Raza, Satish Gujral, Subodh Kerkar, Sunil Das, Sunil Gawde, Sunil Padwa, J. Swaminathan, are some of the artists whose works would be a part of this exhibition.

lThe Gallerie Nvya here is presenting ‘One Story Song’, a show of paintings and sketches by Suman Gupta from February 26 to March 5 at Lalit Kala Akademi gallery.

lThe Anant Art Gallery here is holding an exhibition of the recent works of artist Malvika Rajnarayan. The exhibition titled, ‘Building Beginnings’ will be open for public from February 27 to March 19.

lThe Central Cottage Industries Emporium here is holding an exhibition cum sale of embroidered products from all over the country from February 22 to March 1.

lThe PBC Art Gallery in collaboration with Romanian Embassy organised ‘Beyond Expressions’, an exhibition of paintings by artist Dipto Narayan Chatterjee.

Dipto Narayan Chatterjee said, “Through this exhibition, I pay tribute to Dr Kalam. The exhibition has been divided into three categories. The first category includes 10 illustrations in painting done for the Romanian version of ‘Ignited Minds’. While, the second category showcases the picturesque landscape of Romanian natural beauty and heritage. The third category speaks about ‘Beyond Expressions’ which encompasses various series like power, energy and action. The hand series symbolises the hard work in which illuminated technique gives value to forms and subject.”

lOn February 16, the Romanian translation of ‘Ignited Minds’ written by Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, former President of India was released. Vasile Sofineti, Ambassador of Romania translated the book. Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam was the chief guest.

It has also forecast a partly cloudy sky during the next 24 hours with slight mist in the morning.

New Delhi, February 24
Azad, 11, and Nuruddin, 8, are deaf and dumb. They go to school every day. They learn nothing. Their teachers have no idea how to teach them.

Chandu, 10, is mentally retarded. His school does not know his medical history. He has one textbook and one exercise book in his schoolbag. After 10 months in the same class, the exercise book is blank.

Aamir Khan’s superhit ‘Taare Zameen Par’ has made many aware of the needs of special children, but has left the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) unmoved.

Azad and Nuruddin attend the MCD school in C Block of Jehangirpuri in northwest Delhi. Chandu goes to another MCD school in H Block.

The state of the children with special needs came to light when members of the Right to Education Task Force (RETF), an initiative by NGO Social Jurist, visited some of the MCD schools.

“Class teachers of Azad and Nuruddin candidly admit that they do not know how to teach these students as they have never been given any training in this regard,” says Ashok Aggarwal, lawyer, social activist and RETF member.

Class teachers of both have passed the Elementary Teacher Education course from the Haryana District Institute of Education Training.

The school principal says disabled students should be only in special schools, an outdated idea that has now proved to be damaging to these students.

The MCD runs 1,854 primary schools in the national Capital. The RETF survey shows 2-3 children with special needs in each.

“We know that some special children are studying in our schools but the real problem lies with the curriculum. We have made a recommendation to the Delhi government’s education department to consider necessary changes in the syllabus for the teachers,” says Prithiraj Sahni, chairperson of MCD’s Education Department.

Meanwhile, the government is flouting its own law. “According to the law, every school should be barrier free and equipped with all necessary facilities to make the campus disabled-friendly,” says Aggarwal. No MCD school is, he adds.

“The failure on the part of the authorities to provide quality education, attention and care to the children with disabilities tantamount to violation of fundamental and human right to education of all such children as guaranteed to them under Articles 14 (right to equality), 21 (right to life with dignity) and 21-A (right to education) read with the provisions of Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full Participation) Act, 1995,” says Aggarwal.

RETF will soon submit a report on its visits to the Delhi High Court. — IANS

New Delhi, February 24
German artist Kirstin Pukall makes her debut into the Indian art arena with her first solo exhibition titled ‘Indian Rhapsody’.

The venue was Open Palm Court Gallery, at India Habitat Centre in South Delhi.

The exhibition comprised an eclectic mix of both figurative and abstract paintings in acrylic inspired by India. Kirsten’s work tells a story translated on canvas by her adept brush strokes.

The human figures are a ruse to her poetic use of colour and play of multivariate textures. The painting captures the poses and moods of humble people in stoic silence.

Each work of artist is coupled with her skillful use of imagery to put forth her thoughts, each painting is remarkable in its technique and use of colours is magnificient.

Kirstin Paukall says, “A holiday in india in 2005 changed everything. India’s myriad colours left me fascinated and numb all at once — just the tonic i needed to ignite a lifelong passion. My abstract’s have the same powerful colours that ‘open a window to my mind’s eye’ on India. These paintings represent my feelings about this beautiful country —India.’’

Kirstin Pukall, a lawyer by training, headed a division in the German Federal Ministry of Economics in Berlin until summer 2006. Prior to her law studies she studied fine arts at University of Mainz in Germany.

However, she felt that something was missing - she needed a change and an opportunity to come to india to put back the missing piece. — UNI