IMA holds blood donation camp
Dehradun, February 18
A voluntary blood donation camp was organised at Indian Military Academy in collaboration with Military Hospital, Dehradun, and IMA Blood Bank here.

26 species of birds found in Munsiyari only: French expert
Pithoragarh, February 18
Twenty-six of the 173 species of birds found in the Munsiyari region of Pithoragarh district have not been seen in any other part of the world and are almost local.

Haridwar, February 18
Gurukul Kangri University registered its protest with the Army for not allowing its degree holder students in recruitment examination held in Hisar, Haryana yesterday.

Gurukul Kangri students said they had gone to Hisar for selection in the Army but were rejected on the basis of being from the university.

They added that Army officials had said they didn’t recognize Gurukul Kangri University.

Perturbed by this, university Vice-Chancellor Swatantra Kumar said such a treatment was uncalled for and it hurt the sentiments of the people associated with this university.

Citing the recognition given by the Central Government to the university on May 6, 1949, and by the Uttar Pradesh Government on November 6, 1948, for allowing X and XII board examinations, Swatantra Kumar said it’s shameful that the Gurukulites had been meted out ill-treatment by the Army.

He said a number of armed forces officers and jawans hailed from Gurukul Kangri University only, but now the university had been blacklisted by it.

University officials have also contacted its alumni honorable Speaker of Delhi state Assembly Dr Yoganand Shastri, Uttarakhand Cabinet Minister Madan Kaushik and former legislator Ambrish Kumar to take this matter forward otherwise hundreds of youths having Gurukul background would have to suffer for no fault of theirs.

Documents are also being forwarded to the Defence Ministry that include recognition certificates by foreign universities, Agra University, Bihar University, Osmania University and the UGC.

Professor Pran Nath Vidyalankar, Dr Satya Ketu Vidyalankar, Pundit Dheerendra Vidyalankar, Tapendra Singh, Rishipal Vidyalankar and other Gurukul passouts who are working in various institutions, including Armed forces, have also been apprised about the matter by the university officials.

Mussoorie, February 18
Mussoorie is giving a deserted look these days as tourists are heading for snow-bound Buraskhanda on way to Dhanaulti.

The tourists instead of visiting Mussoorie are driving to quiet but scenic environs of Buraskhanda and Dhanaulti, which are wearing a white mantle, for holidaying, bringing smiles on the faces of local people.

The road ahead of Buraskhanda is closed due to heavy snowfall and the tourists are enjoying there amid a panoramic view of snow-covered Himalayas. Ankit, a tourist from Haryana, who was here with his family, said they had lost the hope of walking on snow but after coming to Buraskhanda their dream was fulfilled.

Ritu Sharma, another tourist from Rajasthan, who was playing with snowballs for the first time, said the whole journey from Mussoorie to Buraskhanda was a unique experience.

Villagers are making most of this rare opportunity and have set up tea and food stalls all along the Buraskhanda road to make a quick money. Dalpat SIngh, a villager who has set up a tea stall, said following snowfall in the Buraskhanda region the sudden influx of tourists had generated additional income for him to support his family. “With earnings from the tea stall I can now buy school uniform and stationery for my two school-going children,” added Dalpat.

While the tourists are ecstatic in the presence of snow, locals are facing difficulties in commuting to offices. A school teacher, who works in Chamba, said he had to walk quite a distance in the snow to reach school as the road was blocked. He added the department concerned should at least clear the road for traffic.

The local administration has cleared snow from the road at several places and the work on the other side is in progress. On the one hand snow in Buraskhanda has come as a boon for the locals, on the other the businessmen of Mussoorie are sulking over the new found love of the tourists for Buraskhanda.

Pithoragarh, February 18
Twenty-six of the 173 species of birds found in the Munsiyari region of Pithoragarh district have not been seen in any other part of the world and are almost local.

This observation was made by a French amateur ornithologist and entomologist, Moore Fredrick, who is in Munsiyari these days to study Himalayan birds.

Fredrick, who has spent a month to observe the birds in this part of high Himalayan region, said the birds not only from the Siberian region but also from the African region migrate to Munsiyari. “I have observed 12 species of birds in Munsiyari, which are also found in the African region,” said Fredrick.

The French ornithologist, who had also worked with Discovery Channel to study birds in the Antarctica region in 2004, said the same species of birds had come to Munsiyari this winter also. “Depleting Himalayan forests and the use of polythene are posing a great threat to these migratory birds in this part of Himalayas. Besides, new concrete houses unlike old houses in the hill region do not provide a sufficient space for these birds to make their nests,” he said.

Dehradun, February 18
With an emphasis on self-reliance, the Cheshire Home here has now decided to sponsor vocational training for the physically challenged persons so that they could be able to become an asset to the society.

“Since its foundation, the Cheshire Home has been providing shelter to the physically challenged persons but for the last couple of years, we have begun providing training to the physically challenged persons. We would like to increase our focus on providing training to individuals now,” said Prem Chand Agarwal, Chairman of the Cheshire Home at a press conference today.

A Press conference was held to sensitise the media about the activities of the Cheshire Home and raise awareness about the needs of the handicapped persons.

He said the society needed to change its attitude towards the physically challenged persons and give them jobs. “Once the interest and the capabilities of the handicapped persons are assessed, they can be trained in different fields. Rather than showing sympathy, we should display empathy towards them by not doubting their potential and organisations should come forward to give them jobs,” said Agarwal.

The Cheshire Home’s outreach programme in the slums targeting the physically challenged children is also proving helpful for their parents.

Dehradun, February 18
There is never a dull moment when violinist Johar Ali Khan is on the stage performing for students, cajoling them into listening to ragas that may be new to them.

But this has always been the case with Johar Ali Khan irrespective of his fan club in India and abroad both. It is the school and college students that he enjoys playing for the most.

Playing at the DBS College as a part of the SPIC MACAY concert, Khan left no one doubtful of his genuine fondness for students. “Despite my busy schedule, whenever an opportunity to perform in schools and colleges as part of SPICMACAY comes my way, I grab it. It gives me a feeling of immense happiness. It is a responsibility that I take seriously; who knows one among them just might be interested to take up music in the future,” said Khan.

Credited for bringing the violin, which is usually viewed as an accompanist instrument, to the centre stage, Khan says his apprentice in the Hindustani classical music under the guidance of his father and guru, Late Gohar Ali Khan of Rampur Gharana, helped him grasp the nuances of intricate ‘taals’. “We have this traditional system of learning music as a part of the ‘Guru-Shishya parampara’. It has helped us preserve our hoary tradition and handover the legacy to the next generation,” said Khan.

A roving ambassador of the Hindustani music, Khan’s Suns of Arqa, an album of Indian ragas, continues to be popular in India and abroad. 

Dehradun, February 18
“Learning by doing” helps children to be innovative and brings out their creativity. The grand exhibition “Jigyasa” by the primary wing and “Tarash” by the senior section of the Delhi Public School was inaugurated by Headmaster Niraj Gupta here today.

The smart presentation of games through self-expressive models by the students attracted all. The three-dimension models, shapes and scales encouraged the students to rise in love with maths. Basant was beautifully depicted through the grammatical expressions on cut-outs of birds, flowers, trees, butterflies and garden animals.

DPS newspapers designed by the students were the highlight of the show. The creative gallery had glass paintings, leaf textured animals and art sheets to be admired. The working and non-working models in social science and general science were beautifully explained to the parents.

The junior school also gave a festive look and was a crowd puller as each classroom was decked up according to the theme. One could see entire Uttarakhand with four pilgrimages under one roof with the divine music reverberating the atmosphere. The young students captured the attention of the parents by quizzing them on animal facts. The parents admired the confidence and the poise with which the children displayed their oratory skills in presentation.

The Swarnim Gujrat section welcomed all in their ethnic attire and garba dance. The exotic dishes of Gujarat were savored by all. “Dilli Meri Jaan” showcased the historic monuments in Delhi which included India Gate with the setup of the Republic Day parade on Raj Path and the lay out of tableaus.

The parents had all praises for the team of hardworking teachers and the headmaster congratulated the teachers and the students for putting up an excellent show.