Jalandhar, April 20
Under a special initiative of the Union Ministry of Human Resource and Development, an Inspire Awards exhibition will be held in the district to encourage school students to inculcate a scientific and creative temperament.

The ministry will be spending Rs 25,30,000 for students from as many as 506 schools across the district, to bring out their best scientific models and creations, under the initiative.

The inspire Awards, Exhibition 2011-12, to be held from May 2 to May 8 this year, will be including private and aided school students in its ambit as well, for the first time this year.

In the total 73 schools, 53 will be private and model schools and 20 will be aided schools.

Under the initiative, each of the 506 school students will receive Rs 5,000 from the ministry for their project, which will be showcased at the exhibition.

Education Department sources said out of theRs 5,000, Rs 2,500 had been provided for transportation while the rest were meant for making the model.

The HRD ministry will be routing the money through the DGSE to various schools.

As per information provided by District Science Supervisor Baljinder Singh, who is also the nodal officer for the initiative, “out of the total 506 schools, 243 will be secondary and 263 elementary.”

While the exhibition for the models made by students of middle classes will be held from May 2 to 4, for the students of high classes, it will take place from May 6 to 8.

The exhibition will be held at Sain Das AS Senior Secondary School, Jalandhar.

Jalandhar, April 21
During the 1950s, when many of the Ghadarites were undergoing long prison terms, a Parivar Sahaik Committee was formed (February 15, 1955) for families of freedom fighters.

Within a few years, the committee was renamed as Desh Bhagat Yadgaar 
Committee. The foundation stone of the Desh Bhagat Yadgaar Hall was laid on November 17, 1959, and the prime motive of the committee is to preserve the Ghadar ideology — in 
all its forms.

After Independence, legends like Baba Amar Singh Sandhwan, Baba Sohan Singh Bhakhna, Baba Gurmukh Singh Lalton and Baba Bhagat Singh Bilga have been associated with the committee.

Many of these men, passionate for the country, did not marry and most left their private properties to the organisation.

Their dream was to build a society that the Ghadar party had envisioned and it is probably owing to the sound roots of their efforts that the DBY committee remains one of the foremost organisations, on a national level, working for the cause of propagating the Ghadar ideology and a sound comment on the present socio-economic scenario of the country.

Library

The committee is a haven for scholars. Its library has more than 20,000 books and rare literature (books, pamphlets, newspapers, magazines, photographs) on the Ghadar and Freedom Movements. The library - conserved by members Charanjit Singh Kangniwal and Comrade Naunihaal Singh - has also procured documents from UK and elsewhere, including banned freedom movement literature, which isn’t available anywhere else. More than 30 PhD and other scholars have completed works with the aid of the Desh Bhagat Yadgaar Hall library.

Govt ignorance

Notably, with all its contributions to society and clearly being a place of heritage importance ‘on the World map’, the government’s total lack of efforts to realise or promote the DBYH are baffling.

Comrades say much of the political system today has degenerated into what comrades and freedom fighters had warned everyone against. All governments, they say, are wary of promoting freedom ideology and literature because it might be enlightening for the masses and, thus, inconvenient for ruling parties.

Future plans

The committee’s plans include opening of Ghadar literature libraries in various villages, especially those from where Ghadar leaders came from.

On November 1, 2013, the committee plans to hold a Ghadar centenary fair. The committee also plans to rope in leading playwrights to showcase various plays and works based on the Ghadar Movement and the Freedom Struggle.

Jalandhar, April 21
The DAV College Managing Committee (DAVCMC) opened its first university, DAV University, Jalandhar, in an impressive inaugural function here last evening.

The premier educational institution was inaugurated by Punam Suri, president of the DAV College Managing Committee and Chancellor of the university, amid a massive gathering of intellectuals, principals, teachers and students from scores of DAV educational institutions across the country.

After performing a havana’ that was organised on the occasion of Mahatma Hansraj Day celebration, ‘Prerna Utsav’, for 2013, on the university premises, Suri, along with other dignitaries, planted saplings and performed the opening ceremony of the university.

Earlier in his address, Suri said the university was a true homage to the founders of the DAV movement and was akin to the Nalanda of modern India.

The university was a seat of higher learning engaged in pursuit of research and development in order to provide quality education to meet the challenges of the 21st century, Suri added.

As a part of the Prerna Utsav celebrations on the campus, the committee also honoured Vedic scholars and researcher professor Dr Shashi Prabha Kumar, Dr Som Ved Shastri, Dr Priyavrat Das and Pandit Satyapal ‘Pathik’ for their contribution towards promoting vedic awareness and values.

A special edition of Arya Jagat and Aryan Heritage, the main publications of the Arya Pradeshik Pratindhi Sabha, was also released on the occasion.

Attired in colourful dresses, over 3,500 students from various DAV educational institutions participated in an impressive dance ‘Alok Path’ that was a major attraction of the function.

Dr SK Sama, vice-president of the DAVCMC, Dr RK Kohli, the first Vice-Chancellor of the university, Prof CL Kochher, regional director of the committee, and other prominent personalities of the region were among those present.

Jalandhar, April 21
About 100 years ago, on this very day (April 21, 1913), a bunch of Indian men in the US, laid the foundation of a visionary plan to fight imperialism.

The party they formed to execute the plan was known as the Ghadar Party, the organisation that nurtured some of the biggest names and the most visionary of the ideologues (famous or not) associated with the Indian freedom struggle.

Today, as a mighty congregation of farmers, thinkers, workers and scholars gathered at the Jalandhar-based Desh Bhagat Yadgaar Hall to commemorate the establishment of the illustrious party. The concerns everyone shared were pretty similar to those which gave rise to the party in the first place (only the setting contemporary).

A seminar was organised and the flag of the Ghadar Party was hoisted on the occasion.

Addressing the gathering, General Secretary of the Desh Bhagat Yadgaar Committee stressed on the need to retain the ideals advocated by the members of the Ghadar Party.

Dr Parminder Singh, activist and sociologist, who was the chief speaker, said the prime motive of the Ghadar Movement was to release people from the shackles of societal ills like imperialism and feudalism and act as a catalyst for the creation of a society which was rooted in justice and equality for all.

But he rued that imperialist forces had returned to haunt society and were exploiting various ruling parties into oppressing the landless, farmers, youth, artisans and women for their own good.

On the occasion, it was also emaphasised that a distorted picture of the Ghadar ideology was being painted in front of many unsuspecting Ghadar enthusiasts in the country as well as abroad, in which it was being portrayed as an essentially fundamentalist movement.

All were warned to be wary of such falsehoods. Dr Raghbir Kaur, general secretary of the Desh Bhagat Yadgaar Committee, co-ordinator Comrade Naunihal Singh, senior trustee Comrade Gandharv Sen Kochar, Dr Variyam Singh Sandhu, Amolak Singh, Gurmeet Singh and Comrade Chain Singh Chain were among those others present.

Votaries of the Ghadar movement from abroad and hundreds of farmers from across the state also participated in the programme.

Jalandhar, April 21
The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) has threatened to burn an effigy of the police in protest against the failure of the Jalandhar (Rural) police in providing justice to six Dalit youths of Kalyanpur village who had allegedly been tortured by the then Lambra Station House Officer Jatinderpal Singh and other policemen a few weeks ago.

Stating this, BSP district general secretary and Kartarpur Vidhan Sabha in charge Kamaldev Jandusingha told The Tribune, “We had decided to burn an effigy of the police on April 8 but it was postponed after Jalandhar (Rural) SSP Yurinder Singh Hayre assured that the needful would be done at the earliest in the matter but nothing has been done.”

Jandusingha said: “The BSP will burn the effigy of the police next week.”

The BSP general secretary further said: “The SSP asked him to postpone the effigy burning as, he said, the special investigating team (SIT) headed by SP (D) Rajinder Singh could not complete his inquiry into the allegation of torture of the Dalit youths by some Lambra police personnel as the rural police remained busy in ensuring the arrest of ASI Gurdev Singh’s killers.

Secondly, Rajinder remained on leave as his wife Amritpal Kaur suddenly passed away a few days ago.”

Considering these reasons, the BSP leader met Hayre in his office on Monday to inform the latter about the matter. The SSP assured BJP leaders that justice would be done in the matter at the earliest.

A few days ago flaying the Jalandhar (Rural) police for posting former Lambra SHO Jatinderpal Singh as Kartarpur Station House Officer during the period when a serious inquiry by the SIT against him and other police personnel regarding alleged misbehaving with a former Valmiki lady sarpanch of Kalyanpur village was pending, the BSP demanded the police to register an FIR against him.

Jandusingha threatened to start an agitation against the police if it failed to register an FIR against Jatinderpal for not only misbehaving with the former Dalit lady sarpanch but also torturing the six youths.

Alleging that Jatinderpal has been posted as the SHO at Kartarpur at the behest of a Punjab Cabinet minister, Jandusingha said: “The BSP will start burning effigies of the Punjab police and the minister if FIR was not registered against Jatinderpal. The six youths used to hold demonstrations against his atrocities during his posting as the Lambra Station House Officer, hence, he wanted to teach them a lesson.”

The BSP leaders said “the six persons - Kali, Buddu, Manga, Happy, Manak and Kaka - are falsely implicated in a case of clash between two groups and allegedly brutally beaten by the Station House Officer and other policemen.”

The BSP leaders also opposed posting of Inderjeet Singh as the Lambra Station House Officer after shifting him from Kartarpur. They alleged that he also remained in “anti- Dalit activities” during his posting at Kartarpur.

Jalandhar, April 21
General surgeons from the region and two surgeons from Pakistan shared their experiences about various aspects and new techniques of surgery in the conference, JASICON-2013, today. The conference was organised by the Association of Surgeons, Jalandhar chapter, and the Department of Surgery, Punjab Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS).

They gave presentation on many topics during the conference. Surgeries of thyroid, hernia, laparoscopic ovary surgery were also discussed by the doctors.

In the wake of the increasing incidents of violence and ransacking of hospitals following deaths of patients by their relatives, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) also conducted a panel discussions on the topic, "Post Operative Death- Doctor's views".

Dr Abdul Majid Chaudhary, president of the SAARC Surgical and principal of Lahore Medical College, and the president of the Pakistan Surgical Society, Dr Abdul Sattar Memon, were the special invitees for the conference.

Earlier, Chunni Lal Bhagat, Minister for Medical Education and Research, Punjab, inaugurated the conference and said such conferences and exchange of medical education would strengthen ties between the two countries. He also welcomed the experts from Pakistan and advocated more inter-country programmes.

As many as 13 surgeons were awarded fellowships by the minister on the occasion.

Dr Kulbir Kaur, Director-Principal of the PIMS, said, "Such conferences will not only contribute to the medical education but also strengthen social ties between both the countries."

Jalandhar, April 21
To provide job opportunities to polytechnic students, the CT Group of Institutions, in association with the Department of Technical Education and Industrial Training, Punjab, is organising a two-day Job Mela- The Grand Job Fair-- at the CT Group of Institutions, Shahpur on April 22 and 23.

Anil Joshi, state minister for Industries, Commerce, Technical Education and IndustrialTraining, Punjab, will be the chief guest on the inaugural day of the event. He will be accompanied by KD Bhandari, MLA, Chief Parliamentary Secretary Punjab, Sunil Jyoti, Mayor, Muncipal Corporation, Jalandhar, AR Talwar, Principal Secretary, Technical Education & Training, Punjab, B. Purushartha, Director, Technical Education Training, Punjab, S. Charanjit Singh Channi, chairman, CT Group of Institutions, and the principals of various polytechnic colleges of Punjab.

Jalandhar, April 21
A new institute of creative studies was opened in Jalandhar here today. Dream Zone, a school of creative studies, opened its 88th branch in the country at the city’s Model Town area today.

Inaugurated by Mayor Sunil Jyoti, the school will be doling out courses in graphic design and animation, interior and architectural design as well as fashion design.

Affiliated to Punjab Technical University, the institute Dream Zone is a division of CADD centre.

Amarinder Sandhu, centre head, asserted that the institute shall offer industry-relevant courses sought to develop appropriate professional knowledge and skills among students as per industry requirements.

Interested students, who had passed Classes 10 and 12 could enrol in the prgrammes. Dream Zone shall also offer inaugural discounts.

Pankaj Raj, cluster head of Dream Zone, claimed that it would be focusing on providing training opportunities to students to complement their professional development. "Our primary focus is to give students practical, rather than theoretical knowledge," he said.

Jalandhar, April 21
Punjabi movie 'Bikkar Bai Senti Mental' has struck the right chord with audiences and has registered house full at various cinema halls across the state after its release.

Cinema houses at Ludhiana, Amritsar, Jalandhar and Bathinda were registered house full.

Cinema houses in Karnal and Kurukshetra also gathered huge audience.

House full was also registered at Chandigarh-based cinema houses and multiplexes.

In Delhi, multiplexes and cinema halls, too, had house full shows.

Jassi Jasraj, who plays protagonist Bikkar Bai in the movie, said people had co-related with Bikkar Bai's rebellious attitude against the wrongs in the society.