I-Day: It’s movies over motherland
Amritsar, August 16
The Independence Day function at the Guru Nanak Stadium was a public event minus the public. The official celebration of the Independence Day seems to have lost touch with the masses, which explains the empty chairs at the Independence Day function organised by the administration. Contrary to this, cinema houses were packed to capacity as the greatest national festival is just another holiday for the masses.

34 receive I-Day honours
Amritsar, August 16
As many as 34 residents from all walks of life were honoured for their contribution in various fields at the Independence Day function here. These include four members of the district boxing squad, including their coach.

Woman robbed of gold worth Rs 12 lakh
Amritsar, August 16
Posing as employees of the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL), two robbers decamped with cash and gold jewellery worth Rs 12 lakh from a house in Khandwala area at gunpoint. They also locked the owner of the house in the store before fleeing.

Two brothers attacked, robbed
Amritsar, August 16
Despite tight security measures taken due to the Independence Day celebrations, two brothers were robbed and seriously injured by four assailants on Wednesday. Before committing this crime, the accused had looted another construction mason identified as Kaka. The victims have been identified as Umesh Kumar and Dinesh Kumar.

Amritsar, August 16
Punjab Revenue Minister Bikram Singh Majithia unfurled the Tricolour at Guru Nanak Stadium here on the occasion of the Independence Day. School students also presented various cultural programmes on the occasion. Majithia urged the Union Government to initiate a special campaign to make the world aware about the separate identity of the Sikhs to avoid tragic incidents like Oak Creek Gurdwara in the future. He said the Union Government should also initiate a campaign through diplomatic channels for a separate identity of the Sikhs living in foreign countries.

He said it was the need of the hour to start such diplomatic talks with the governments of different countries having a considerable Sikh population to ensure their safety and security. He thanked the United States government for their positive and sympathetic role in the Oak Creek gurdwara incident. Majithia welcomed the state government's decision to declare the holy city as 'smoke free'. He said the decision along with the initiatives taken by the local administration to contain the menace of drugs would further help in getting rid of the menace completely. He welcomed the state government's decision to constitute a 'Metropolitan Planning Committee' for the planned and holistic development of Amritsar, to be headed by Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal. He said 'Master Plan' would be implemented in all spheres within two years.

Majithia said Amritsar would soon have a state-of-the-art trade fair centre and the government has identified 20 acres of land for the purpose, while the proposal to construct a mini secretariat at Amritsar has also been finalised. He said the state government is committed to eliminate illegal drug trade in the state by starting a special drive against this menace. He said over the past five years, the police has seized drugs and narcotics worth Rs 1,260 crore, which was 40 per cent of the total seizure in the country.

Majithia exhorted the youth to build a strong nation and eliminate all social evils.

He also honoured the families of freedom fighters besides 34 people from diverse fields, including government departments and from other walks of the society for their achievements in their chosen fields. He also distributed tricycles and sewing machines to physically challenged people and widows. He also announced a grant of Rs 3.5 lakh for students, who took part in cultural and folk programmes. He said the thermal plants at Talwandi Sabo, Rajpura and Goindwal Sahib would be operational by the end of 2014 and would together generate 3,920 MW of power. He said it would gradually qualify the state as a most favoured investment destination in the country.

About 3,000 students from various government and private schools of the city presented a cultural extravaganza to mark the Independence Day at Guru Nanak Dev stadium. The students of Government Senior Secondary School, Heir, and Ajanta Public School, Dhab Khatikan, presented choreography of patriotic songs. Government Senior Secondary School, Mahna Singh Road, presented choreography on Nanhi Chaan, water contamination and female foeticide. Students of Government Girls Senior Secondary School, Mall Road, presented an action song while disply of the Sikh martial art Gatka by students of Khalsa Senior Secondary School left everyone impressed.

Students from nine schools presented a scintillating show of traditional folk dance gidha while the volunteers of Nehru Yuva Kendra presented bhangra. The contingents of the Punjab Police, Home Guards, NCC cadets, Scouts and others impressed everyone. Two woman constables as well as some students fainted due to the long duration of the programme coupled with the hot and humid weather conditions. They were given medical aid.

GNDU Vice-Chancellor AS Brar unfurled the national flag on the varsity campus yesterday. Ryan International School, Delhi Public School, Holy Heart Presidency School, Modern High School. Prabhakar Senior Secondary School, Shri Ram Ashram School also celebrated the Independence Day.

The razed house of the martyr in Amritsar. Photos: Vishal Kumar

Madan Lal Dhingra

An unforgotten hero of the freedom movement, Madan Lal Dhingra was perhaps the first Indian to have been executed in London during the freedom struggle. Sahib Ditta Mal was his father, while one of his brothers was a barrister. He acquired his basic qualification from Amritsar and went to England to pursue higher education in engineering. There, he met Shyamji Krishna Verma and Veer Savarkar, the freedom stalwarts. Having a strong desire to see his country free, he gunned down Sir William Curzon Wyllie on July 1, 1909. Dhingra was executed on August 17, 1909, at the age of 26. However, his father, known for his proximity to the British government, had refused to accept his body. His remains were found while the authorities searched for the remains of Udham Singh and sent to India on December 13, 1976.

Amritsar, August 16
To mark the 65th Independence Day, the North Zone Cultural Centre (NZCC), Patiala, organised a cultural evening for the Border Security Force jawans. The programme was held at the Rajatal Border outpost and the Joint Check Post at Attari. “The aim of the cultural programme was to integrate and aware the population of the border belt and the BSF personnel about the rich cultural heritage of India. It would also provide an excellent platform of entertainment to the BSF jawans who hardly find any time for such activities,” Aditya Mishra, IG border zone, said while inaugurating the programme.

The cultural evening was part of the main event inaugurated by Governor Punjab Shivraj Patil at Hussainiwala joint check post in Ferozepur district on August 12. a spokesperson of the NZCC, Patiala, said the organisation was also going to conduct Sanskriti yatras comprising folk artistes/ folk singers and instrumentalists, including 150 theatre groups representing all cultural regions of the country. The artistes would perform at different places in Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Uttarakhand and Rajasthan.

The BSF jawans and residents of the border range thoroughly enjoyed the function which showcased the flavours of our rich cultural heritage at the Indo-Pak border. Mishra said such programmes will also help further the bond of friendship and greater understanding between the BSF personnel and the residents of the border villages. More than 20 thousand spectators witnessed the programme at the Attari joint check post.

Amritsar, August 16
The Independence Day function at the Guru Nanak Stadium was a public event minus the public. The official celebration of the Independence Day seems to have lost touch with the masses, which explains the empty chairs at the Independence Day function organised by the administration. Contrary to this, cinema houses were packed to capacity as the greatest national festival is just another holiday for the masses.

While the babus planned the day in their usual style, the public chose to stay away. Schools students had to fill the vacant seats at the venue. The function started with the flag hoisting ceremony and cultural performances by students from 18 schools. The only audience were the officials of the administration. Even many of them failed to turn up. The lack of interest is from both sides. Common people think of the day as just another holiday.

While the security checks are mandatory, there are other factors that make it far from a public event. “The administration usually focuses the I-day event on the school and college students, who are there to perform. I have been attending the celebrations every year but it never had a mass appeal. It has nothing new for the audiences so there is no surprise factor. I was a part of the committee that used to plan the events for the day and we had tried bringing in the youth through various cultural events. With a good budget and resources, the I-day celebrations could be planned innovatively each year to bring in more public,” says Kewal Dhaliwal, director, Virsa Vihar.

Multiplexes and cinema halls across the city were packed. People chose to celebrate the I-day with Salman Khan’s latest entertainer ‘Ek Tha Tiger’ which had a special Independence Day release. The spy-love story starring witnessed a mad rush. “Ek Tha Tiger’ was the best and more entertaining way to spend and celebrate my Independence Day,” said Supreet Dhiman, who watched the evening show with his friends. Most multiplexes too had advance bookings and with a huge turnout on the national holiday, it sure was celebration time!

Amritsar, August 16
As many as 34 residents from all walks of life were honoured for their contribution in various fields at the Independence Day function here. These include four members of the district boxing squad, including their coach.

Baljinder Singh:

Former national boxing player he has been coaching youngsters for nine years at Khalsa College Senior Secondary School. A head constable with the Punjab police; he was deputed to the Sports Department as a coach.

Jatinder Singh:

A BA first year student of Khalsa College, Jatinder Singh, 19, became the inter-varsity boxing champion of Guru Nanak Dev University this year. He has been a boxer for the past seven years. He stood third in the 56th School National Games in 2010-11 in Dehradun and was Junior National champion in 2009.

Sukhraj Singh:

A BA second year student of Khalsa College, Sukhraj was adjudged the best boxer in the All India Inter-University Boxing Championship held at Jalandhar this year and won gold in the middle weight category.

Daljit Kaur:

A BA final year student of the Khalsa College for Women, Daljit won the All India Inter-varsity Boxing Championship this year with a gold medal in the 51 kg category. In the 2010-2011 edition of the All India Inter-varsity boxing Championship at Udaipur, also she won the gold medal.

Sumedha Mahajan:

Sumedha took part in the national Greenathon from Delhi to Mumbai, which covered a distance of 1,500 km in May. Director, Khanna Paper Mill Limited, Suneet Kochhar. Sumedha was the only woman to complete the 1,500-km event. Her name was added to the Limca Book of World Records.

Shanti Devi:

A multi-purpose health worker was awarded district prize for contribution in child immunization programme and family planning. She was recognised as the overall best worker in the district for five years.

Shivani:

A Class X student of GSGS Memorial public School, Shivani was honoured for her performance in Shuto Karate Championship at the national and international level.

Ajay Kumar, Hargun, softball champion, Manohar Lal Patwari, Tarlochan Singh, Fire Officer, Bhupinder Singh Sandhu, Assistant Fire Officer, Bhushan Behal and Vimal Kumar, president and secretary, Jallianwala Bagh Shahid Parivar Samiti, Harsimrat Singh, Neeraj Sharma, Gurpreet Singh, Major Harpreet Singh Walia, Charanjit Singh, head master, GHS, Gaggar Bhana, Bhupinder Kaur, head mistress, GGHS, Chajjal Wadi, Nirmal Kaur, Head Mistress, GGHS Nangal Mehta were among those honoured.

Amritsar, August 16
Despite tight security measures taken due to the Independence Day celebrations, two brothers were robbed and seriously injured by four assailants on Wednesday. Before committing this crime, the accused had looted another construction mason identified as Kaka. The victims have been identified as Umesh Kumar and Dinesh Kumar.

The brothers were robbed of Rs 1,650 and a mobile phone by the accused. They said they were selling bhelpuri outside Mokhampur government school when the accused robbed them of cash. When they resisted, they attacked them with sharp-edged weapons, they told the police. When Dinesh tried to save his brother, the accused stabbed him with a pointed weapon.