Amritsar, July 1
“I will not be able to bear the expenses on the education of my son Om Parkash, who has secured 483rd rank in the Combined Entrance Test (CET) conducted by Punjab Technical University.”

This was stated to The Tribune here today by Satyanarayan, a rickshaw puller from Bihar. He said his son had decided not to take part in the counselling as he was not in a position to even deposit Rs 2,500 as counselling fee for the B. Pharmacy course, which would be held on July 3.

Om Parkash, who scored the 36th position in the state in matric exam in 2005, has secured 74 per cent marks in the plus two exam conducted by the Punjab School Education Board. The DAV school management did not charge from him any tuition fee or other charges.

Satyanarayan, presently residing at 113, Jawahar Nagar, Batala Road, Amritsar, claimed that he had also met deputy commissioner Kahan Singh Pannu, who had assured him that he would make arrangements for the education of his son after he got admission to a professional course.

He said nearly Rs 3 to 4 lakh were required for the four-year B-Pharmacy course and he would allow his son to take admission only after some philanthropist or charitable institution assured him to bear the expenses for the course.

Amritsar, July 1
Crystal restaurant is a name synonymous with fine-dining cuisine. A few people know that it started soon after the Partition. But one thing most of the people know is that it has scrumptious cuisine that anyone would desire. Over the past years the Crystal restaurant has undergone innumerous developments. The late Bihari Lal Khanna laid the foundation of Crystal by selling “softies” in a small space on daily rental basis, which is now spotted as the famous “Softy Corner.”

A few years later he started selling takeaway Chinese food and started serving delicacies like kebabs and kathi rolls. It was in 1998 that he become the proprietor of the magnificent place surrounding the restaurant.

His son Ashok Khanna and grandson Ankul Khanna took the lead in building it to “Bravura Multi-Cuisine” restaurant.

Customers from various countries find the cuisine of Crystal restaurant delicious. Being at a prime location like Queens Road it is always bustling with activity. It serves both national and international dishes. Its chefs add diversity to exotic dishes with multiple culinary ideas.

It has recently started lip-smacking thick Italian shakes and ice-creams made from fresh fruits like custard apple, mango, strawberry, etc, to beat the summer heat.

Talking to Amritsar Plus, Ankul Khanna said people now a days prefer Chinese and continental dishes but the majority still savour Indian food at “Chicken Tawa Frontier.” Crystal is flourishing due to consistency in its delectable flavors, warm hospitality thus making every customers experience unforgettable.

Amritsar, July 1
The Sports Authority of India (SAI), New Delhi has established STC Day Scholar Extension Centre at Guru Nanak Dev University from the current academic session.

Disclosing this, Dr Kanwaljit Singh, director of sports, said the centre was allotted to varsity in view of its excellent sports achievements at the national level. He said the centre, set up under National Sports Talent Centre (NSTC) scheme, has been provided to enable and nurture the talent at junior and sub-junior levels.

The SAI would hold selection trails for Handball (Girls) and Hockey (Girls) between the age group of 14 and 22 at the varsity on July 3-4. The players should bring with them all original academic and sports certificates, including matriculation, along with two passport size photographs, informed Kanwaljit.

The selected players would get a stipend of Rs 6,000 per year, besides Rs 2,000 competition exposure. Moreover, each trainee would receive Rs 4,000 per annum as sports kit allowance and an insurance cover up to Rs 150 per annum, the director sports added.

Tarn Taran, July 1
For its third cultural exchange program to be held in China, the union ministry of cultural and sports has selected six students of bhangra and gidda teams from Shri Guru Angad Dev College, Khadoor Sahib.

These students would be members of the Indian team.

Dr Daljit Singh Khehra, principal of the college, while talking to The Tribune said the selected students, Ajit Pal Singh, Amarjit Singh, Ranjit Singh, Ravinder Singh, Rajbir Kaur and Sukhinder Kaur, will present a wonderful display of rich Indian cultural heritage.

The bhangra and gidda teams of the college have excelled during the youth festivals of the Guru Nanak Dev University from the last five years.

The teams have also performed in Thailand and England. The students participated in a youth festival at North Wales (USA).

Amritsar, July 1
With globalisation spreading its wings across the world and the holy city being no exception to it, we see big malls and complexes mushrooming in every nook and cranny of the city.

The trend, like elsewhere, is a massive hit with the youth, especially given the fact that it is not only a source of entertainment but employment too. The result - along with men, young girls and women are also fast becoming an indispensable part of these commercial establishments. Womenfolk working in the brand outlets have created new avenues for themselves to be self-dependent as well as support their families with decent earnings in the present scenario of rising inflation.

They are reaping the benefits and enjoying their job with a tinge of fun and entertainment. A few of the salesgirls working at Rituwears, one of the leading retail outlets of the city, said they were happy serving customers with a smile. With their job beginning at 10.30 am and continuing till 8.30 pm, the girls are filled with zing as given their decent salary, it’s not much to ask for.

Though one problem they are encountered with is that being employed with a private enterprise, they can’t expect much in terms of holidays. Especially for the married women, who work for eight to 10 hours for five to six days in a week, going without a leave sometimes is a major obstacle as their professional priorities act as a major snag when they are stressed out and are not able to attend their personal or family needs.

Customer executive Mamta Joshy, while talking to Amritsar Plus, said for the most part she was satisfied with her job, the only hindrance being the fact that the whole day was spent in the office and they had to be very agile and vigilant when stress took a toll and cheerful interaction seemed an impossibility when about 1,000 customers had to be dealt with in a day. But still, with a bit of effort and presence of mind they succeed in maintaining such decorum.

Another aspect of the job that some women disapprove of is that there is no cab facility for them which is a problem for the women who hail from distant places and commute at night.

Apart from a few numbered glitches in the state of affairs, the situation has a largely positive impact on the young generation as it provides job opportunities to many youths who otherwise would have stood a chance of getting involved in anti-social activities.

But the malls and other commercial establishments act as a ray of light that helps the youngsters build a brighter future for themselves.

Tarn Taran, July 1
On the occasion of Doctors’ Day, a district-level meeting of the doctors was held on Tuesday under the guidance of Dr Kashmir Singh Sohal, senior vice-president of the PCMS Specialist Doctors Association, Punjab.

In a press note issued here, association general secretary Dr Shamsher Singh said they had presented a memorandum to the civil surgeon in the name of the Punjab government demanding an act on the Andhra Pradesh pattern. The demands include an action against the persons who attack medical staff during duty hours, regularisation of services for the doctors who had been recruited on contractual basis and voluntarily retirement facility.

Amritsar, July 1
Manch Rangmanch, a cultural action organisation, has scripted a unique 
history in the field of Punjabi theatre by organising annual theatre workshops of Indo-Pak artistes in Amritsar for the past eight years.

Having born at a time when Punjab was passing through the terrorism crisis, the basic aim of Manch Rangmanch, headed by Shiromani Punjabi Natakar Kewal Dhaliwal, is to promote quality theatre in Punjab by blending traditional theatre forms with modern techniques to provide entertainment which has social relevance.

Manch Rangmanch is one of the most creative places in North India which not only has the required infrastructure, but also the capacity and skilled human resource to host both national and international theatre events.

In all these years Manch Rangmanch has become the most preferred destination of artisites, writers and intellectuals for creative exchanges.

Manch Rangmanch has also focused on the training of children in workshops.

The group has so far staged about 150 different plays both in India and other countries like Canada, England, Germany, Bangladesh, Pakistan and the USA.

Manch Rangmanch having more than 150 productions to its credit, has established new milestones in Punjabi theatre by presenting on stage the works of Punjabi poets and novelists. The manch presents more than 100 performances each year.