Amritsar, December 16
There seems to be considerable awareness among the present-day couples about their responsibilities towards society. They are now coming forward to help the downtrodden, besides enjoying their own life.

National president of the Round Table India (RTI) Pranaya Trivedi announced the formation of the Amritsar Round Table 203 (which has about 19 couples of the holy city of Amritsar as its members), besides electing Aashish Mehra and Ramita Sehgal as its tabler and circler chairmen, respectively.

Talking to The Tribune, Trivedi said their organisation’s main slogan was freedom through education. It was providing school rooms for the needy children so as to provide them with a conducive atmosphere in the remote belts or slums in various parts of the country.

He said they were providing books, school uniforms and jackets to schoolchildren up to class VI and were thus contributing to the Sarv Shiksha Abhiyan.

Trivedi said the RTI even tried to identify schools where there were no separate toilets for girls (as it discourages the girl students from going to school). He said they were constructing toilets in cooperation with the school managements so that girls took interest in joining schools at least for primary education.

Talking about future programmes, Trivedi said their aims included providing primary education to 10 lakh children in a year, besides constructing 1,500 schools at a cost of Rs 200 crore.

He said during the current year, their organisation had constructed 1,200 schools in various parts of the country at a cost of Rs 85 crore, benefiting 7.5 lakh children.

He said the RTI had also reconstructed 14 and 10 schools in quake and storm-affected areas of Gujarat and Orissa, respectively.

Uma Raghurao, woman president of the RTI, said anyone in the age group of 18 to 40, with a keen desire to serve society, could become its member.

He said male members were known as tabler, while the women are called circler. He said the organisation completed its golden jubilee last year and had 90 branches in various parts of the country, including Hyderabad, New Delhi, Jaipur, Dehra Dun and Ludhiana.

He said for this social cause the members contribute the funds from their own pocket, besides generating funds through organising charity shows.

He said basically theirs was a zero-aid organisation and every penny collected was used for a social cause (not for organisational matters). He said they were going to establish RTI in Jalandhar and Chandigarh soon.

Speaking on the occasion, Aashish and Ramita said recently they donated jackets to poor children studying in Citizen’s Vidya Mandir School in the Maqboolpura area of the city, popularly known as the locality of widows.

She said they had donated various eatables, including fruits and vegetables, to the orphans living in Mother Teresa Home.

Talking about the local unit of the RTI, vice-president Ramila Jain said at present there were 19 tablers and 17 circlers in Amritsar.

Amritsar, December 16
While the entire nation bowed to the valiant sacrifices made by officers and jawans of the armed forces, including policemen, in the recent Mumbai massacre, ungrateful residents of the holy city, which had witnessed two wars with Pakistan and the sordid two-decade-long militancy, have failed to remember its own hero Major Lalit Mohan Bhatia who laid down his life in the 1971 Indo-Pak war and was awarded Vir Chakra posthumously.

The utter disrespect being shown to his bust, which was unceremoniously removed from its pedestal set up at a pivotal position in the historic Ram Bagh a few years ago, is shocking. The bust has been gathering dust in the store of Service Club for the past three years.

The fate of the bust of the great martyr continues to hang in the balance as Service Club is faced with an uncertain future in view of the government’s plan to shift the clubs from the historic Ram Bagh.

The role of the district administration and the municipal corporation has come under severe criticism for its failure to reinstall the bust of the martyr.

In spite of the public outcry, no authority from any quarter has taken care to reinstall the statue at its original place, which was removed in view of the renovation of the historic garden and buildings in the summer palace of Maharaja Ranjit Singh.

It is pertinent to mention here that Bedi, who used to make an annual sojourn to pay floral tributes at the memorial on Major Bhatia’s martyrdom day on December 14, had found the statue missing from the platform raised by the municipal authorities a few years ago. The bust given by the martyr’s family was later found abandoned in the storeroom of Service Club.

Expressing his utter disgust with the authorities, the anguished Bedi said somebody in power should have to be held responsible for disgracing the sacrifice of this young officer who laid down his life during the 1971 war fighting Pakistani soldiers in the Ferozepore sector. “It is a wake-up call for the government to immediately reinstall his bust,” he said.

He urged deputy commissioner K.S. Pannu that if the administration could not do anything in this regard, it should give him permission to reinstall the bust and take care of its upkeep.

Amritsar, December 16
Guru Nanak Dev University has the distinction of producing the maximum number of vice-chancellors in less than five years. Earlier, Dr Jai Rup Singh and Dr Gurjit Singh - teachers of genetics and law departments - became the VCs of GND University and the Rajiv Gandhi University of Law, Patiala.

Now, Dr Rajnish Arora, who had a short stint as placement officer of GND University, is all set to become the VC of Punjab Technical University, Jalandhar.

Since his latest innings as principal of the Amritsar College of Engineering and Technology, he hardly kept himself away from work even for a single day with the purpose to raise the status of the college for the national board accreditation.

According to Binod Kaur, a teacher of Amritsar Engineering College, Dr Rajneesh Arora is well-designated to beacon the brains of the Punjabi youth. Merited to work as a reader in the department of electronics and communication in Guru Nanak Dev University for about a year, he proved himself to be an ever willing scholar to guide and encourage the destinies of many.

He also worked as a research fellow at IIT, Delhi, for about one decade in the eighties.

In pursuance of practical application of his technical competence, he worked as deputy manager of Khalilabad Sugar Mill, UP, from 1994 to 1996. He revived and rejuvenated this sugar mill after its four-year-long hiatus with innovative, technological and HR strategies.

He has also been member of the board of directors, Punjab State Health System Corporation, and government of Punjab from 2007 onwards. He has been chairman, Regional Committee, Chandigarh (2001-2004) and member, National Standing Committee (1999-2004) of CAPART, ministry of rural development, government of India, New Delhi.

Dr Rajnish has been the office-bearer and member of many social organisations - Sah-Prant Sanghchalak (vice-president) of Rashtriya Swayamsewak, Punjab (March 2007- Nov 2008) and Vibhag Pracharak, South Delhi (1979-82).

Not lagging behind in any activity for social justice, he actively participated in the underground struggle for democracy from June 1975 to March 1977 and was imprisoned in Tihar Jail for more than two months - November 1975 to January 1976.

Amritsar, December 16
In order to create awareness among the youth about the drug menace, eminent Punjabi actor, director, film and theatre personality Mangal Dhillon would organise a documentary film fair in the villages and towns of the border region.

Stating this to the media here yesterday, Dhillon said he would screen six documentary films, “Sarb Rog Da Aukhad Na”, “Khalsa”, “Prakash Ton Prakash Tak”, “Prakash Sri Guru Granth Sahib”, “Sikh Te Dastar” and “Sarvnaash”, associated with the Sikh history and culture and on the affects of the drug menace. He said Sikh youth were being attracted towards western culture and were getting their hair shorn.

Dhillon appealed to the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee to come forward for the spread of Sikhism among the rural youth, besides educating them not to get addicted to drugs. He also appealed to the heads of various institutions of higher learning and political parties to come forward to support him in this noble cause. He said the fair would be organised in educational institutions. —TNS

Amritsar, December 16
A two-day cultural fair “Mela Raja Sansi Da” was organised by the Socio-Economic Development Programme (SEDP) at Rajasansi village under the endogenous tourism project of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) through the government of India to promote community tourism.

The mela was presided over by Pradeep Kumar Samantaroy, Bishop of Amritsar and chairman of the SEPD, whereas Paramjit Singh, ADC, Amritsar, inaugurated it as the chief guest on behalf of the deputy commissioner.

The government of India has selected 31 sites throughout the country to develop them as tourist centres, including Rajasansi having Amritsar international airport. The historical village is situated on the Amritsar-Ajnala road.

Daniel B. Das, coordinator, SEDP, said Rajasansi village was related to Sher-e-Punjab Maharaja Ranjit Singh through Sandhawalia chieftains. A magnificent building known as “Sandhawalian Di Haveli”, the then residence of Sandhawalia chief is preserved as a monument, which is a mix of Indian and Greek architectures.

The village is known for 144-knotted hand-woven carpets. It is believed that some highly skilled Persian carpet-weavers visited the place long ago. Carpet-weaving is a profession which has been religiously pursued in this village since ages.

Youth clubs of Rajasansi are given training in folk music and dances so that the dying culture of Punjab may be revived.

Das said the SEDP had planned to organise a tournament in which indigenous games like kabaddi, wrestling, pithu garam and gulli-danda will be played. These games are almost lost. “We dream that such games and dances will become an attraction for the tourists from India and abroad.”

Amritsar, December 16
Keeping in view the ever-increasing demand of computer professionals in the national and international job markets, information and public relation minister Bikram Singh Majithia has urged the people to make their children computer savvy.

Addressing children and their parents at the certificate-distribution function at the Gandhi Institute of Computer Education and Information Technology, Majithia said no individual could be considered literate unless he had sufficient computer knowledge.

Lauding the role of the institute in providing free computer knowledge to about 700 needy students, he advised the students to inculcate moral values to become responsible citizens and imbibe spirit of patriotism to defeat the nefarious designs of extremist forces.

He also urged them to come forward and play a significant role in wiping out the menace of corruption, female foeticide and drugs from society.

He announced a grant of Rs 2 lakh for the institute.

A cultural programme was also presented by students of SL Public School.

Amritsar, December 16
Despite strong opposition from within his own party, MLA O.P. Soni has proved himself as the strong candidate for the next parliamentary elections with his group grabbing majority of seats in the Amritsar Youth Congress (urban) election, the results of which were declared here today.

The victory of the Soni’s men has caused a major setback to his detractors, including former parliamentary secretary Dr Raj Kumar, who has been out to strongly oppose his candidature for the forthcoming Lok Sabha poll. The recent comeback of expelled Congress leader Harjinder Singh Thekedar has also boosted the supporters of Soni.

Soni supporters Dinesh Bassi and Hardeep Singh Batra have been elected president and vice-president, respectively, while Sukhbir Singh, Simran Kaur, Jasminder Singh and Monica Tuli have been elected general secretaries. Simran Singh and Daman Deep Singh, supported by the warring faction, have been able get elected as general secretaries.

However, on the other hand, MLA Sukhbinder Singh Sukhsarkaria’s candidates have won all seats in the Amritsar Youth Congress (rural) election. Surinderjit Singh Shella and Gurdev Singh Shura have been elected president and vice-president, respectively, while Mandeep Singh, Chajoti Singh, Ravinder Singh Denga, Parveen Kumari and Manjinder Singh have been elected general secretaries (all supported by Sukhsarkaria) in the Amritsar Youth Congress (rural).

Amritsar, December 16
As many as 37 inmates, including 16 women of Amritsar Sudhar Ghar (Amritsar central jail), today got certificates after successful completion of their vocational courses run by Guru Nanak Dev University under the aegis of its department of adult, continuing education and extension.

Vice-chancellor Dr Jai Rup Singh awarded the certificates and visited the art and craft centre of the women’s hostel. SSP Kunwar Partap Singh also addressed the inmates.

Earlier, jail superintendent Capt S.P. Singh welcomed the VC and other guests.

Director of adult continuing education and extension Dr R.S. Sandhu said six-month certificate courses in electronics and TV maintenance, servicing, computer courses for men and a course for cutting and tailoring for women were being run by the department since August 2006.

He said the teaching staff and all the necessary equipment and furniture had been provided by the university.

He said, in all 199 inmates of the sudhar ghar, including 47 women, had completed their courses till June 2008 and at present 77 inmates (21 women) were pursuing the courses.

A cultural programme was presented by inmates. A nukkad natak depicting the ill effects of AIDS was also performed by students of Delhi Public School, Manawala (Amritsar).

Amritsar, December 16
The police yesterday nabbed three vehicle lifters in two separate cases and recovered three motorcycles from their possession. The arrested persons, Jagjit Singh of Batala Road, Hira Singh of Sandhu Colony, Batala Road, and Des 
Raj of Gali Fatwali Haveli Mai Tony.

Maqboolpura police station arrested Jagjit Singh and Hira Singh at a naka near Panj Peer, Mall Mand, while Des Raj was caught by cops of Gate Hakima police chowki at a naka near the Bhagtan Wala grain market. The accused failed to produce any documents relating to the vehicles which were later found to be stolen. In preliminary investigations they confessed their crime. A case under sections 379 and 411, IPC, has been registered at C-Division police station.