Jalandhar, June 17
To provide better facilities to the NDA trainees, the district sainik welfare office (DSWO), Jalandhar, will soon have a separate training block and an in-house hostel.

A proposal in this regard was mooted after an enthusiastic response to the coaching programme. While last year 51 trainees underwent coaching, the number this time has almost doubled to 98, with 12 girls also part of the six-week course.

The number is likely to become three times next year since nearly 170 students of eight government nodal schools, who are currently being coached for the test in their schools, would join the course. “When they turn up, there certainly will be a space problem,” said Lt-Col Manmohan Singh, district sainik welfare officer.

Deputy commissioner Ajeet Singh Pannu, who has been encouraging the programme, says, “Apart from the written test, tips on grooming, discipline and mannerism, are also needed. The trainees will have to stay here for a longer period to learn dressing up, table manners, etiquettes and communicating skills.

All this will be possible only when they stay here.”

Currently the trainees have been commuting daily or have been putting up in PG accommodations,incurring heavy expenses.

The indoor hostel facilities will greatly reduce the extra burden on them. The classes too are currently being taken in a common classroom of the compound where training for the police, Army and BSF entry is going on simultaneously.

The office, through the district administration, has forwarded its proposal to the state government for expansion purposes. While the exact estimate is yet to be prepared, the office staff revealed that the expenditure was expected to be close to Rs 78 lakh.

The chances of the proposal being accepted too seem to be high since the state government has appreciated the move and has asked the administration of other districts, including Bathinda, Amritsar and Patiala, to replicate the same model. Recently 110 girls had taken training here for joining the BSF as woman constable.

The NDA trainees seem quite determined and have been attending the classes regularly. Jasmine, a trainee, said, “If I qualify the entrance, I will be the fourth generation in my family to join the armed forces.

It was the dream of my father, a Major who died in a bomb blast in 1997 in Rajasthan, that I should join the Army.”

Sharanpreet Singh from Kurali said even as he had appeared for the entrance test to various engineering colleges, his first priority was to join the armed forces. Ram Kishore of Kangra, whose father is in the civil depot there, too has been taking classes here.

Jalandhar, June 17
A youth from a well-to-do family was caught with fake currency notes at a special check post at Model Town here today. He had allegedly been doing the illegal business of fake currency for the past some time.

Sartaz Singh of the Punjabi Bagh locality here is the only son of his parents. His father Puran Singh is a retired deputy director from the animal husbandry department. His mother is also a retired principal from a reputed school. Sartaz Singh was caught along with his two accomplices at a special check post at Model Town, falling under police station No 6, here today.

SP (city II) Sarabjit Singh said Sartaz Singh, his two accomplices Joginder Singh of Manco village and Sarabjeet Singh, alias Sabhi, of Nadala village were caught soon after receiving a part of the consignment of Rs 1 lakh of fake currency. The trio was held with the fake currency of Rs 25,000 and their car was also impounded, he added.

To a query, DSP Rajeshwar Singh said one Jaswinder Singh had been supplying fake currency to them.

The DSP said the trio had been involved in the fake currency racket for the past sometime and had already circulated Rs 1 lakh fake currency notes in the market.

The three accused used to get the fake currency of Rs 1 lakh after paying Rs 65,000 genuine currency notes, he added.

Of the total Rs 25,000 fake currency notes, 25 notes of the denomination of Rs 500 each were smuggled from Pakistan, whereas the remaining currency notes were prepared in the country with the help of a computer and printer.

One of the three accused Sarabjeet Singh, alias Sabhi, is a dismissed Punjab police constable.

A resident of Nadala village, Sarabjeet Singh was posted in Gurdaspur when he was dismissed from service after the registration of an FIR against him under section 395 of the IPC on January 12 last year.

Sabhi’s brother Daljit Don is also wanted by the police in an attempt-to-murder case of Chhota Ghumman. Don is accused of seriously injuring Ghumman when he fired at him several times in the Model Town market a few months ago, the police said.

The third accused, Joginder Singh, is an ex-serviceman. He also remained a security guard with a bank for sometime, the police added.

Jalandhar, June 17
Known as the unofficial “king of bhangra”, Malkit Singh is the first Punjabi singer who was recently honoured with the most excellent order of the British empire (MBE). Malkit Singh says that the influence of Indian music over the people in the West has increased after he was awarded the MBE by Queen Elizabeth.

“It’s a big achievement for me. When it was announced that I was being awarded the ‘Member of the British Empire’ for my contribution to Punjabi music, the word ‘Punjabi’ created a sensation in me. This award is not mine, but it is for all Indians and my fans around the world,” said Malkit.

Born in Hussainpur village of Jalandhar, Malkit was listed in the 2000 Guinness Book of World Records as the biggest selling “bhangra” artiste of all time.

He is most famous for the songs “Gur nalon ishq mitha”, “Tootak, tootak tootiyan”, “Kurhi garam jayee” as well as “Chal hun”. “‘Tootak, tootak’ was the big hit along with the song ‘Gur nalon ishq mitha’. Then the era came when people started preferring remixes. I am proud to say that I created a remix of the song 'Gur nalon ishq mitha’, which everyone liked. None of my songs are inferior to any other. It depends upon the singer how he treats it,” he added. Malkit has performed in 36 countries and earned respect at all places. According to him, no one will forget Punjab and India.

“Not only me, but I think everyone who lives abroad misses India. My song ‘Maa ke hathon di pakiyan rotiyan khan nu bada he dil karta’ was a big hit because it reflects the eagerness of all those who want to go back to India to have food cooked by their mothers,” he said. Malkit, who is in London for the past 24 years, said young artistes did not forget their roots and culture. “I am in London for the past 24 years, but I have not changed my customs and my trappings, especially the turban. We should take special care of our culture, traditions and language wherever we live,” he said. — ANI

Jalandhar, June 17
For a large number of youngsters who do the rounds of the eating joints of the city, Valentino is a mandatory stopover. Bustling with life, the place offers a wide variety of cuisines to choose from. Right from Chinese to Indian, Mexican or fast food, a wide array of menus is available on ones palette.

Started on Valentine’s Day four years back, the place has now become a must-visit destination due to the added advantage of a coffee shop as well. The first eating joint in the city to introduce “Barista” - the coffee shop in the city, the name of the restaurant has been derived from Valentine’s Day, which, according to owner of the restaurant Ranbir Singh, symbolises love and affection.

Says Ranbir, “We inaugurated the restaurant on February 14 keeping in mind the significance of the name of the place and the meaning attached with it. And it was the youngsters who first got hooked on to the place.”

The place is famous for its mouth-watering sizzlers, fish, seasonal and Indian food as well as combo meals. “The youngsters come here specially to celebrate parties and birthday bashes. As there is ample space to enjoy a party, the youngsters prefer coming here in large numbers.

“We own a restaurant with a similar name in London as well. It has been 11 years since my elder brother started ‘Valentino’ there. When I came back to India I too started a restaurant here,” he said, adding that they were planning to start four new outlets in the city. 

Jalandhar, June 17
Hundred sums of addition and subtraction without paper and pen in five minutes and all correct. That is the feat that Shivangi Chopra, a class VII student of St Joseph’s Convent School, achieved in a national abacus championship held at Chennai on June 7.

The result was declared the next day and the young mathematics wizard was declared champion of the champions. More than 4,000 students from across the country are learnt to have participated in the championship.

Having completed level one by taking regular coaching for the past three months, Shivangi attended another practice session with abacus tool beads for a month at a local centre before proceeding for the championship. She said her father Sanjay Chopra, an engineer, encouraged her for the training.

Her coach Isha Kapoor of Numero Uno Kids, a local institute, said, “Six students had gone to Chennai and all of them had got a rank at different levels”. — TNS

Jalandhar, June 17
More than 100 teachers attended a stress management workshop during an in-service training course that is being organised at KV-1, Jalandhar cantonment.

Jalandhar, June 17
Life of a girl is full of choices, especially when it comes to fashion and trends where the options are endless. Whether it is wardrobe or footwear, fashion for girls has no limit. The fashion gurus have come up with exclusive designer footwear for women 
called “Bellerina”.

An imported footwear concept from Hong Kong, China and Bangkok the “belle” has almost become a rage among the girls. What makes “belle” all the more desirable is its chic looks and novel style. Says Mukesh Kapoor, owner Get Set Go, a family store at Model Town, “Ever since Bellerina has been launched in the market girls have simply stopped asking for other footwear designs. It is primarily due to its looks and designing that the footwear has become a big hit with the city girls.”

Available at a price range of Rs 495 to Rs 695, the “belle” comes in some 
very rare colours like golden, silver and copper. A quick round of the city markets reveals the increased demand of Bellerina everywhere.

The owner of Shoppers Point in Model Town too maintained that the trend of wearing heels had almost come to an end. “Girls prefer buying Bellerina over other footwear due to its comfort and ease in walking,” he said. Puts in private firm manager Heena Kapoor, “I bought four pairs of Bellerina a couple of months back as it has stylish looks. Moreover, one can wear it daily either with jeans or salwar-kameez. Above all the cute satin ribbon, flowers and sequin work add a lot of charm and oomph to your personality”. 

Jalandhar, June 17
The SAD-BJP combine today unanimously elected Manjeet Kaur as chairperson and Baljeet Kaur as vice-chairperson of the Jalandhar (East) block samiti. A meeting in this regard was held at the DC’s office.

In an unopposed election, Manjeet Kaur of SAD from zone 13, Sansarpur village, was elected chairperson and Baljeet Kaur of BJP and resident of Patara zone, Bolina village, was elected vice-chairperson. The SAD-BJP combine has 15 of the total 22 seats in the samiti. Jalandhar cantonment MLA Jagbir Singh Brar said, “It is for the first time in history that the SAD-BJP combine has won this post. Earlier this post was a Congress stronghold.”—TNS