From entering an institution as a student to becoming its head is surely a fruitful journey. On Teachers’ Day meet some gurus who treaded this path...

A teacher isn’t someone you say, “present ma’am” to on being called for rolls. A tutor instructs, whereas a teacher inspires. Would Plato be Plato if there were no Socrates? Frankly, would you still know the spelling of ‘aeroplane’ if the uptight, forever frowning, spectacle-wearing Miss Lucy didn’t walk into the class with a wooden ruler on the day of dictation test? Paying a tribute befitting the day, here’s profiling the ones who have studied, taught, dealt with and then went on to head the very institute of learning they once entered like any other, like fifty others.

They once crowded the benches that they now command. How does it feel? Any desire to switch places? Says Prof Paramjit S. Jaswal, chairperson, Department of Law; Panjab University, “I always get nostalgic over the fact that I once sat on the same benches whenever I go to take my class. I am inevitably reminded of my own student days.” Not just the desk, probably every little thing reminds of those days. Shyam Sunder, principal, Government College-11 says, “I was a student leader but I was very studious and a very good student. I was never naughty,” and he throws statistics, minus interruptions. “I was a student here for five years, then taught here for 31 years and now have become the principal one-and-a-half-year ago.” Talk of special relationship. Mohanmeet Khosla, chairperson, School of Communication Studies, PU, has been a student of the department, a guest faculty, a lecturer and now the chairperson. She says, “I used to sit on the second or the third bench and in the previous building when I went there as a guest faculty there was this surreal experience — suddenly after climbing those familiar stairs, you’re not sitting on your place but behind the lecture dais.”

So, the shift may or may not have been smooth, but it’s certainly been a privileged one. Shares Promila Kaushal, principal and former student of GCG-11, “When I took over as the principal, I did not have to make any effort or spend time at all in getting myself acquainted with the institute. It’s been a great feeling.” Great feeling, probably, for her own tutors too. She adds, “Later, when I started in this profession, my own teachers became my colleagues.”

Which brings us to the student-teacher relationship. Shyam Sunder has a point, “They say you should maintain a distance, one should be formal whereas I feel a tutor owns a student.” Prof Jaswal is still in touch with some of his teachers. We bet many of his students are in touch with him.

Does being from the same place bring along with it some levels of leniency and understanding? Shares Sunder, “Forget about leniency, I try being affectionate. In my college, we believe in togetherness more than anything else.” Mohanmeet, on the other hand, tries being a student all over again to understand them better. “At the back of my mind I always have this, if I was one of them how would it feel to be snubbed by my teacher or what if I could not ask some question because the teacher looked so stern. That feeling guides me in my own conduct as a teacher. But then, I think it’s always the case and this is the baggage you have to carry if you come from the same institute.” A very small price!

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Strange it was! A renowned fashion choreographer, Kaushik Ghosh and a famous model, Sahiba Singh, in the city to hold a seminar organised by IIFT and to announce an image building workshop, which the duo will conduct near Diwali and guess what they stressed upon, “Reality shows in which contestants use foul language should be banned.”

Kaushik has a justification, “They are degrading the image of our youth. Imagine, what outsiders would think of Indian youth when they see a bunch of attention-hungry youngsters calling names on national TV. And then, post-reality shows, contestants’ conscience suddenly awakens to expose casting couch tales. “These reality shows are teaching youngsters to be mean, abusive, blatant and unethical and are now being paid back in the same coin,” joins in Sahiba Singh, Miss India Personality, 2004, donning a pretty pink dress.

Through with their concern for the televille, we come to the point — the workshop, what they are here for. The 10-day-workshop will mainly focus on image building, a comprehensive term for dressing sense, ramp walk, attitude and personality development, “One just can’t achieve success on the basis of good looks and a body. You need to have right contacts, know how to approach people and do positive publicity for yourself, which is also a part of my workshop’s curriculum,” informs Kaushik.

Other reason he cites for holding a workshop in the city, “Chandigarh has the best looking boys and girls in India, competitive designers, fashion conscious people, affluent NRI market which together can make the Chandigarh Fashion Week possible.”

Having choreographed shows for the best designers and leading models, he regrets the absence of a male mega model. “We haven’t got a Rahul Dev or a Milind Soman for a long time as modeling for boys is a mere stepping stone to enter television or Bollywood.” Is Sahiba aiming for the same too? “Not at all. I am too happy doing modelling to go to Bollywood, where the competition makes you stoop to any level.” As for her future plans, “Lots of modelling and post that, working for various UN programmes in Delhi.”

Well, if not Sahiba, Kaushik has some grand Bollywood plans. All set to make a directorial debut with fashion-based flick, “It will mirror only reality and facts about the fashion world. Based on a male model’s life, it will star somebody who has gone through tough times in the fashion industry but at least achieved success.” Sounds interesting!

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Back from an educational trip to Maharashtra, NIIFT students craft an exhibition of diverse and unique art forms 

Students from the group Padmpani display the traditional art work.

Imagine the things that can happen over a cup of coffee. Discovery of a water-powered gadgets, a new sound track, chance finding of a solution to an issue, thought of getting back with your ex, or saying yes to a marriage proposal! Well, there are numerous possibilities to be explored over a cup of coffee. Not to forget heart-to-heart conversations. To do all these and more step into the newly opened Café Coffee Day (CCD) in Sector 10.

This seeks to bring out the essence of coffee. Says Alok Gupta, director, Café Coffee Day, "We still need to realise the true potential of coffee. Nevertheless, at Café Coffee Day we want our customers to feel, smell and taste the experience called coffee. In fact, today the customers look for new experiences. The level of awareness in coffee culture has increased," he adds.

And, if you see tea drinkers shifting their loyalty, there is a reason. Alok explains, "While tea is only a physical stimulant, coffee is both mental and physical stimulant. At Café Coffee Day, we study the people who walk into the CCD, what they would want to enhance their experience. For instance, at one of the IITs, we asked the youngsters what would they want in a CCD, and bang came the answer, a wi-fi." According to Alok, it is not just about enjoying the beverage; it's about feeling it too. "So, we have to ensure that everything right from the ambience, the seating arrangement, the hygiene, the service, the menu is above expectations," he says.

Talking about highway cafes, Alok feels today consumers like to be on the road, whether it is a leisure drive or business travel. "The set up of a highway café is different from a hi-street one. We recognise the need of the customers who hit the road. One, they would require clean washrooms, they usually come in groups so we have to provide a filling menu," provides Alok.

This steamed delicacy is the latest to catch the foodies’ fancy

Ok, so they are omnipresent. Every nook, every corner has a rehri parked that sells this dish of Chinese origin in the Indian flavour. Humble looking, cabbage or chicken filled, served with a chilli and sweet sauce - momo is what we call them. And so much is the craze for this dish that we see momowallas mushrooming in every sector. From a single rehriwalla or a group of guys with posters that read— Momo veg, momo non-veg, spring roll available. It seems Punjabis have taken a fancy to these potli-like things, but what amazes us is not the popularity (knowing Punjabis' love for food), but the growing number of these momo-sellers and similarity of their menu.

So, we ask these guys where have they come from and what is the secret recipe to success. Says Vikas, who runs his rehri in Phase VII, Mohali, "It requires sheer hard work to keep us in this business." With his two friends, he makes the dumplings by the afternoon, chops the veggie and cooks them too. Ask him by what time does he make those ready and he says, "By late afternoon we are ready with the stuff and by 5 in the evening we leave our homes, to be in the market by 6 pm" His menu includes - momo, veg and non-veg and spring rolls and the prices are pretty pocket friendly, Rs 20 for a veg momo plate, Rs 30 for non-veg and the same for spring rolls. For his initial training, Vikas says, "I have worked in various hotels in the city and that's where I learnt how to cook momo, noodles, soup, spring rolls and other dishes too."

Din Bhadur, who comes from Kharar to put up a rehri in Sector 46, says business was slow initially but now people have started liking it.

Ask how many plates does he sell and he says, "Teek bikri ho jati hai, I almost finish what I make everyday."

Gopal, another momo maker in phase VII, has been in the city for the past nine years, but only recently started his own business. Ask him what all has he done so far and he says, "From driving a rickshaw to working in dhabas and shops, I have done almost all kind of jobs to make a living." And how did he come with the idea to start this business? "I saw other men of my area doing the same work and doing good business, so I also decided to step in," he says. He learnt how to cook momo by watching others.

Well, an interesting fact about these momowallas is all of them are Nepalese and have the same menu and price, be it in Chandigarh or in Mohali. Says Ram Swaroop, another momo hawker in Sector 61, "The city is small and people only like this snack because it comes cheap and tastes good." And why not include noodles or soups? "Most of us come from as far as Kharar, momos and spring rolls can be easily packed in containers and their preparation time is also not much." Another thing that makes the menu simple is the overall costing of making momos and spring rolls. It won't cost them a bomb to make these humble dumplings, as all you need is a momo stand to make it and a kadhai to fry the spring rolls. And, with the liking for these dumplings increasing with every passing day they are sure to earn an extra penny. So, hale the momos!

jigyasachimra@tribunemail.com

Aha! Health packet

The health food stalls at Fortis OPD saw a variety of healthy victuals. One could pick breakfast cereals from Aha, probiotic health drink from Yakult, functional food from Saffola, healthy milk, yoghurt etc from Nestle, soya products from Allegro, lite-atta, lite maida, lite sooji etc from Zero G and bakery items like sugarless cookies, multi-grain bread etc from Monica's. 

The new Indian gourmet food is no longer just roti, daal and sabzi. Giving way to healthier options, it's cholesterol- free atta, sugarless mithais, olive oil, atta for diabetics, soya milk and cereals that have replaced the oily and spicy veggies, ghee-dripping paranthas, and basmati rice. And, celebrating this very aspect-Fortis Mohali conducted a two-day workshop on nutrition and health.

In synch with the National Nutrition Week, the workshop saw doctors, dieticians and city-based entrepreneur Monica Sood delivering a lecture on food and nutrition and a demo on healthy cooking.

An unusual sight where we saw a line-up of health food stalls at the Fortis OPD, the workshop and the stalls were quite an initiative for promoting health and fitness. And talking about health bhi, swaad bhi, Monica says, "Food should look good, as we eat with the eyes first and then the stomach." Talking about the taste, she says, "It takes some time to adjust to health food, but one can mix and match a few ingredients to make it scrumptious." Suggesting some healthy cooking tips, she says, "While making a sandwich, one should use wheat bread than white or any other bread. Low-fat mayonnaise can be used instead of butter or high fat spreads and varied veggies and seasoning for the perfect taste."

Well, if you love pizzas but scared to eat it because of the cheese than Monica has a solution. Mix grated paneer along with ¼ of mozzarella cheese to make a pizza. The taste wouldn't change and the fat content is not much. Hmmm the tip sounds like true 'health bhi, fitness bhi'.

And, for those people who keep wondering what to eat and what to skip, Sonia Gandhi, senior clinical nutritionist, Fortis, says, "Everything is important for a healthy living, but one has to eat in moderation and that is the mantra for a healthy life. Another thing that one has to keep in mind is switch over to healthy food instead of unhealthy ones and balance your intake of foodstuff. And yes, not to forget is physical activity. One has to exercise to keep fit." Are you people listening?

jigyasachimra@tribunemail.com

German carrier Lufthansa unveiled a new in-flight menu to give its first and business class passengers on India route a rich gourmet experience with Indian culinary delights especially crafted by two well-known chefs. Prawn curry masala, Tomato pappu (lentils), khade masale ka paneer (cottage cheese), lal mans (lamb) and Alleppey fish curry are some of the creations of Farman Ali and Surender Mohan, both of them master chefs with the Leela group.

"We cater to specific preferences of Indian customers, personal service and fine Indian dining above the clouds to assure our guests a memorable journey," Axel Hilgers, Lufthansa's director for South Asia.said. The new menu also includes a range of Indian desserts like malai kulfi, rasmalai, kesar phirni and gulab jamun, which will join continental-style chocolate parfait with green lime syrup to round off the meal. These are in addition to regular German cuisine. —IANS