Amritsar, July 25
Punjab Naatshala added another feather to its cap when its creator Jatinder Brar was selected for the Shiromani Natakar award by the Punjabi languages department of the state government.

Interestingly, the much-awaited award, which was announced yesterday, came just a few days after the visit of Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal. During his visit, the Chief Minister had asked Brar to build a similar theatre in his (Badal’s) native village too.

Spread over 2,500 sq yards, Punjab Naatshala has become a pilgrimage for theatre artistes from both India and Pakistan. The institute came into existence with an aim to promote performing arts by integrating art and technology.

Talking to The Tribune, Brar said, “Our aim is to create awareness about social evils and enlightening people of their social obligations.” He said the naatshala was trying its best to maintain equilibrium between art, culture and technology.

Equipped with a revolving stage and various other features, the theatre can accommodate around 250 spectators and has a multidimensional entry system. The theatre provides special effects like rain and fragrances through water sprinklers fitted in the ceiling which leaves spectators spell-bound. A movable platform fitted on a trolley is used to give upward and downward movement to the stage which has become a craze among creative directors.

Among others who have been bestowed upon with the Shiromani awards are Punjabi folk singer Gurmeet Bawa and noted teacher and journalist Jasbir Singh Jas. While Bawa got the title of the Shiromani Gayika award, Jasbir Jas has been honoured with the Shiromani Child Literature award.

Bawa got the recognition for her unique style of singing and contribution to the field of Punjabi music. She has given many live performances and kept audiences hooked with her finest rendition of Punjabi folk songs. One of the famous folk songs sung by her is “Kaharo doli na chaiyo aje mera babul ayo nahi”.

Similarly, Jas’s contribution to the Punjabi literature and his role in launching the Sarv Shiksha Abhiyan in Punjab was the reason for the recognition.

Amritsar, July 25
Members of the General Insurance Employees Union held a dharna during their lunch timings near the divisional office of United India Insurance Company here.

Addressing the protesters, union president Sham Lal Gill criticised the central government for its proposed foreign direct investment (FDI) bill to raise the FDI limit in the insurance sector.

Gill lamented that promotions were not being given to class III and IV employees for the past four years, whereas high cadre officials were being promoted regularly. He said managements of all the four public sector general insurance companies were contemplating a plan to bring in a new policy wherein employees could be transferred in an enlarged zone.

The association demanded restoration of appointments on compassionate ground in case of an employee’s death, upgradation of part-time employees and barring of job outsourcing by abolishing cadres of stenographer, record clerk, driver and sub-staff.

The protesters also demanded review of the transfer policy.

Amritsar, July 25
Guru Nanak Dev University has banned ragging in any form on the campus and issued directions to the students to stay away from such activities. “The offenders will be strictly dealt with as per the Supreme Court guidelines, said Dr AK Thukral, dean, students' welfare on Friday.

The SC verdict has been incorporated in the prospectus and circulated among all the teaching departments for displaying it on the notice boards.

The posters regarding prohibition, prevention and punishment of ragging by the students in the varsity has also been put up at important places, he added.

The DSW said students participating in ragging would face cancellation of admission, suspension from attending classes, with holding or withdrawing scholarship/fellowship and other benefits.

Other strict punishments include debarring from appearing in any test/examination or other evaluation process, withholding results, debarring from representing the institution in any national or international meet, tournament, youth festival, suspension/expulsion from the hostel, rustication from the institution for periods varying from 1 to 4 semesters, expulsion from the institution and fine up to Rs 25,000.

Dr Thukral said as per the SC verdict, the forms of ragging include display of noisy, disorderly conduct, teasing, rough or rude treatment, rowdy, undisciplined activities which cause or likely to cause annoyance, undue hardship, physical or psychological harm or raise apprehension or fear in a fresher or asking the students to do any act or perform something which such a student will not do in the ordinary course and which causes him/her shame or embarrassment or danger to his/her life, etc. 

Amritsar, July 25
As many as 25 principals of various educational institutions in the city were honored with the "Sarla Chopra Memorial Award" comprising a citation and a shawl for the service in the field of academics by a Delhi-based social group 'Avantika'. The body is formed by senior academicians.

Amritsar, July 25
The readers of Punjabi have reduced considerably and in fact it was the writers themselves who are the readers and appreciate the work of one another. These views have simply expressed the pain of a writer.

“The condition of a Punjabi mini-story writer was even worse who did not find a right platform to project his/her literary prose,” said Anwant Kaur, a famous short story writer, whose two books, “Kinka Kinka Kayanat” and “Channan Da Dariya”, were released recently.

She has more than 25 publications, including entertaining children books and children short stories and edited books.

The writer said although a majority of the subjects of short stories were taken from society and real-life issues, still a few readers appreciate good literary works, especially in Punjabi, besides reading habits among the people were declining due to the onslaught of the TV entertainment channels. She said the Punjabi language had a lot of depth and touched the core of the heart but regretted that there was very little recognition from the public which demoralised the efforts of a writer.

Talking about her experience about the quality of Punjabi literature Anwant Kaur said it was at par with best works of other languages of the world but due to lack of support the Punjabi literature was languishing. She felt that it was important to give push to the writers and allow them enough space to produce quality literary works which would portray the real character of the Punjabi literature.

Dismayed at the apathetic attitude of the government which lacked direction and purpose to promote the Punjabi literature, she said there were only hollow attempts but no real recognition was given to the good writers who produced quality literary works and manged to bring to the fore issues close to the heart of Punjabis.

She said Punjabi was still finding true status and only pronouncements would not make any difference but the some real ground work needed to be done to improve the status of Punjabi writers.

Expressing her views about the NRI Punjabi literature, she said the quality of work seemed to be absent from a majority of the NRI writers. Further they only wrote about their foreign experiences rather than Punjabi culture which had less relevance to the Punjabi people. They should write about their own country, she added.

Amritsar, July 25
He has set an example for society to give life even after death by donating his eyes and illuminating the world of two.

Rotarian Surinder Arora, who died recently, has given a new lease of life to Baghicha Singh of Jharkhand and R.S. Chauhan of Rajasthan to whom Arora’s corneas were transplanted.

A poet and philanthropist, Arora was very popular among club members who describe him sensitive, sentimental and perfectionist. They said Arora had a keen desire to pursue English literature from England but destiny had in store something else for him and he became a textile man. His passion for poetry and literature kept him in touch with writing which continued to provide him zest for life.

Amritsar, July 25
Dr Adarsh Kumar, professor and head of the cardiology department of Government Medical College (GMC), has been invited to deliver a guest lecture at the 14th world congress on heart disease to be held in Toronto (Canada) from July 26. The event is being organised by the International Academy of Cardiology, USA, where Dr Kumar would speak on “Present status of rheumatic heart  disease in the developing countries.”

Amritsar, July 25
At last the overbridge near Amritsar railway station was inaugurated by MP Navjot singh Sidhu, health minister Laxmi Kanta Chawla and mayor Shawet Malik here today.

Thousands of train commuters were facing harassment over the non-functional of the bridge, constructed outside the station few months ago for the convenience of passengers as they had to cross the road dividers to reach the station.

Notably, the overbridge has been shifted from the inter-state bus terminal in wake of elevated road being constructed there. The corporation authorities took the decision of shifting it to railway station so that the people could use it to easily cross the busy G T Road to reach station — OC

Amritsar, July 25
EMC Superspecialty Hospital claims to have performed the first successful thoracoscopy in the district. The surgery was performed by Dr Ravneet Singh Grover and Dr Raman Chatrath.

Giving details, Dr Grover said the surgery was done by using a single puncture technique, which was helpful in diagnosis and management of pleural effusion, empyema and pneumothorax.

He said the technique avoids major surgery and could be done without general anaesthesia.