The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Chandigarh Stories

EDUCATION

Major fire averted in PU girls hostel
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 21
Alertness of a mess boy averted a major fire in a Panjab University girls hostel this morning. Dense smoke coming out of the guest room of the hostel caused panic among girls, who, were preparing to leave for their classes.

The cause of fire was said to be a short circuit. However, no loss of life or material was reported. Over three hundred girls stay in the hostel.

According to information available, the fire started in a guest room of the Kasturba Hall (Hostel No 10) at around 9 am, when Anil, a mess boy, entered the room some electricity wires snapped. The electricity department had reportedly left the wires hanging, which should have been laid underground. Eyewitness said that the smoke was cleared only after 11 am. No official of the Electricity Department was available for comments.

Sources in the PU said in past several complaints with the Electricity Department had been lodged by the hostel authorities to ‘‘correct’’ the cable fittings but of no avail. However, the department’s authorities today reached the spot and started mending the cable fittings.

When contacted, Ms Ritu Sharma, warden of the hostel, said proper laying of power cables was lying pending for some time. ‘‘However, the Electricity Department has completed the work’’.

From Lahore to Chandigarh

Chandigarh
The foundation of the first DAV School at Lahore on June 1, 1886, was the beginning of the education of masses. The school flourished with the dedicated service of its first headmaster, Mahatma Hans Raj, who at the young age of 22 served the school without any remuneration. After Partition in 1947 this school was revived in India with its first branch in a kothi in Sector 16, Chandigarh. DAV High School, Lahore, saw a new ray of light on April 19, 1955, when the foundation stone of DAV Senior Secondary School (Lahore) was laid in Chandigarh.

The journey has been long and the dedication and efforts endless. This school which started with 200 students is placed amongst the leading educational institutions of the country which imparts education to almost 2500 students every year. That’s not all. From here sprouted more than 650 schools, colleges and professional institutes who are spreading knowledge all over India and abroad.

Under the guidance of principals like Bakshi Ram Rattan, Suraj Bhan, Bhagwan Das (in Lahore) and Om Prakash, Hari Ram, Hans Swaroop, B.B. Gakhar and now Ravinder Talwar (in Chandigarh), students have excelled not only in their academics, sports, and curricular activities but also in their lives. The school has been a mine of countless gems; the alumni list itself is of three volumes! Amongst the students who have made a landmark in the nation’s history are likes of Lala Lajpat Rai, Bhagat Singh, Prof Ved Vyasa, Dr Khurana, Kapil Dev, Ashok Malhotra, Yograj Singh, Chetan Sharma et al.

The story behind the success of this school and DAV institutes, according to Principal Talwar is the firm belief in the teaching of modern sciences, humanities, commerce and work experience on the most up-to-date lines. Also, the inculcation of the most precious values of our Vedic Culture and religion diffused with western knowledge in the students to making them good citizens. He believes that students are like buds, the more carefully you nourish them the healthier garden they bloom into.

DAV school building has 52 classrooms, Multimedia Computer labs, well-equipped science and geography laboratories, workshops for Electric Gadgets, Radio Mechanics and a grand library with books on all subjects. The school has one of the best sports departments having produced sportsmen and athletes of state, national and international repute. It has a flood-lit basketball court with latest FIBA specifications and a handball-cum-skating rink, which is a rare attraction in the Chandigarh region.

The importance of the conservation of our environment led to the foundation of an “Environment Club” by the Indian Council for Environment Education which inculcates the sense of protection and improvement of our environment among students. The students now maintain a state-of-art green house on the campus. Also, the refuse of the school is being efficiently decomposed by using vermiculture biotechnology and biological farmers, earthworm, into useful manure for the lush green grounds of the school. The culture society of the school is the one of its kinds in the northern region, which organises an ‘Annual Festivities Week” every year. It aims at spotting talent amongst girls and boys through All India Inter-State and Inter-School cultural competitions.

Keeping in mind that City Beautiful attracts students from all parts of India and abroad, the DAV College Managing Committee has built a decent hostel on the school campus. The hostel is a residence for more than 300 students from Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Bihar, MP, UP, Rajashtan, J&K, Manipur, Nepal, Thailand and Tanzania.

This historical institution has yielded yet another gem, a well disciplined person in all walks of life, a person who sticks to toughness, who believes in positive thinking, who has an unswerving zeal and who believes that a man of devotion, dedication, and discipline attains knowledge and wisdom. This intellectual person, Principal, Ravinder Talwar, has served DAV for the last 30 years and his work has been accredited by the Ministry of Human Resource, India having awarded him with the National award for excellence in the field of education for the year 2000.

The driving forces behind the success of DAV institutions, its employees and its students till date are the principles of Arya Samaj and teachings of Maharishi Dayanand Saraswati. Institute of such repute should no doubt be saluted!

Vandana Paul

Vocational courses for students
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 21
The Chandigarh Police, in tandem with the Jan Shiksha Sansthan of the Human Resources Development Ministry has started vocational courses for students of the police school (Government Model High School, Sector 26) here.

All vocational courses were of the duration ranging from two days to two weeks with a nominal fee, and had imparted knowledge about food preservation, art of canning, candle making and soap and detergents making. These courses were designed keeping in view the practicality of initiating students in the areas where low capital is required and can be developed into small and medium enterprises through individual imitative.

A press note issued by the Chandigarh police said, in addition to the Jan Shiksha Sansthan, the Food and Nutrition Board of the Union Government, had also deputed resource persons for conducting food preservation course.

IT fest fails to boot up
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 21
‘Vision 2000’, an information technology festival organised by the Panjab University Students Union, failed to take off on its first day here today.

The venue opposite Students Centre bore a deserted look throughout the day as organisers kept waiting for the IT professionals to arrive there and put up their stalls. Only seven of the 26 stalls at the venue were occupied, that too, in the later part of the day.

The organisers were busy trying to get various IT companies and institutions to be there. Some of them were trying to get someone to inaugurate the function, but had no luck.

There were not enough visitors to the fest because of this “non-activity”. An organiser said last-minute snags in execution of the plan had been had led to the “debacle”. “However, by tomorrow, we expect the things to go smooth and students will definitely benefit from the exhibition. We also plan to hold a seminar on ‘IT Education: Relevance and Quality’ on Friday, the final day of the fest,” he said.

1,500 students hold rally
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, November 21
A rally of about 1,500 students of Government Senior Secondary School and Government Model High School in Sector 37 was held here today.

The Principal and Coordinator, Children’s Alliance for Protection of Environment, Mr Jagdish Kumar, led the rally. Teachers of both schools marched in the streets and roads and markets of Sector 37 to spread the message of national integration and national pulse polio campaign.

Mr Jagdish Kumar also administered the oath to the students that they would maintain the national unity and work for the success of the pulse polio campaign. The students also raised slogans .

Environment Society of India President S.K. Sharma flagged off the rally and urged the state and UT Administration to direct the school principals to put up boards explaining the meaning of national anthem, national emblem and the wheel on the National Flag.

Scholarships to 410 students
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, , November 21
As many as 410 students from vocational and professional educational institutes in various universities and recognised institutions have been awarded scholarships by the Guru Harkrishan Educational Society.

This was said in a press release here today. The total amount of the scholarship comes to Rs 7.46 lakh against Rs 6.04 lakh disbursed last year to 391 students. This year the amount will also be distributed to the students in three installments.

Mr A.S. Rawel, honorary secretary of the society, said that the scholarship scheme was introduced by the society in 1986 and scholarship was distributed without any discrimination on basis of caste, colour or creed.

PU supplementary results today
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, , November 21
Results of at least six different supplementary examination conducted by Panjab University will be declared tomorrow. These include: MA I (French); MA I (music); MA I(Sanskrit); MA II(economics); MA II(defence studies); and B Sc III( honours school in zoology).

COURTS

HIGH COURT
Contempt action against Judge dropped
Legal Correspondent

Chandigarh, November 21
A Division Bench of the Punjab and Haryana High Court comprising Mr Justice H.S. Bedi and Mr Justice A.S. Garg, today dropped contempt proceedings against Bathinda’s District and Sessions Judge, Mr B.C. Rajput, after perusing the reply filed by him in response to its notice.

The Bench had initiated proceedings on the basis of a judgement delivered by the Sessions Judge in the case of Mr S.S. Bangar, PTO. In another case, that of Mr Ranjit Singh, Excise and Taxation Inspector, two officers had impounded a truck taking unauthorised goods and did not release it. Nauhar Chand, father of the truck owner, died allegedly due to shock. A case was registered against the two officers.

The Sessions Judge while delivering the judgement in the matter had observed about Mr Bangar “that he faced the wrath of the High Court in order to safeguard the interest of the state and that he had not axe to grind”. The High Court while upholding the jurisdiction of the Sessions Judge in deciding the case in any manner had, however, taken objection to the remarks made by the judge and found them to be contemptuous of the High Court.

Ex-civic employees’ plea admitted

A writ petition seeking quashing of the order dated January 7, 2000 issued by the state of Haryana to the extent that it restricted the benefit of revised pay scales with effect from April 1, 1999 to the retired municipal employees and denied the benefits of arrears to them from January 1, 1996 to March 31, 1999, was admitted today by a Division Bench comprising Mr Justice K.S. Kumaran and Mr Justice J.S. Khehar.

The petition was filed by the Retired Municipal Employees Sangh, Haryana through its president, Mr Jia Lal. The petitioner sought the grant of benefit of the revised pay scale given to government employees and accordingly revising the pensionary benefits to those who retired on or after January 1, 1996, in accordance with the provisions of the Haryana Civil Services (Revised Pay) Rules, 1999.

It was submitted that the revised pensionary benefits and arrears had been given to other government employees, working in boards, corporations, and universities, etc. in Haryana.

Directive on plea against lawyers

Taking action on a petition against two advocates of the High Court, a Division Bench comprising Mr Justice M.S. Bedi and Mr Justice A.S. Garg directed that the photo copy of the petition be sent to the Chairman of the Bar Council, who shall take such action as he considered fit considering the facts and circumstances of the case, and that the original record be kept in the sealed cover with the Registrar of the High Court.

The action has been taken following the detection of the fact that the advocates concerned had allegedly given wrong information to the court in a petition.

DISTRICT COURT
Pinky, 8 others appear before court
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, November 21
Inspector Gurmeet Singh (Pinky) and eight others who had been arrested by the police for the alleged killing of a youth, Avtar Singh, of Ludhiana, today appeared before the UT Additional and Sessions Judge, Mr H.S. Bhalla. The judge adjourned the case till February 5, 2002, for evidence.

Meanwhile, four of the accused — Pawan Kumar, Paramjit Singh, Ravinder Pal Singh and Iqbal Singh — who were currently lodged at the Model Burail Jail, had filed an application before the judge for their transfer to the Ludhiana Jail.

The four had stated in the application that they belonged to poor families and their family members found it difficult to visit the Model Burail Jail. The judge has issued a notice for December 1 on the application.

It may recalled that they had been booked in a case murder and other offences under Sections 302, 307 and 336 of the IPC on January 7.

Bail plea dismissed

A local court today dismissed a bail plea moved by the Director of Swaran Bhomi, Mr Tejvir Singh, in a cheating case. The case was registered against him on May 18 under Sections 406, 420, and 120-B of the IPC. The accused was arrested by the police on September 29. The other directors and managing directors of the company had already been declared pro-claimed offenders by the court.

The complainant, Mr Devinder Singh, and others alleged that cheques issued by the company were dishonoured by a bank. The police opposed the plea on the ground that after getting the bail the accused might temper with the evidence.

Statement recorded

The statement of one of the witnesses a constable, Mr Bakshish Singh, was recorded in the Beant Singh assassination case before the UT District and Sessions Judge in a special court in Model Burail Jail here today.

He said the former Chief Minister along with others came out of the UT Secretariat between 5 p.m. and 5.10 p.m. and after that the blast took place. He said he was also injured in the blast and later admitted to a hospital. He added that another constable, Mr Man Mohan Singh, was with him at the time of the incident.

CULTURE

Wife opens man’s show!
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 21
There can never be a more dramatic opening to any painting exhibition than this one. Suresh Kumar, a Kharar-based artist, today had his painting show opened at Kalagram by his wife on wedding day.

Interestingly, the man waited all his life to hold an exhibition just to make true his long-time ambition of getting his show inaugurated by his wife. Till about 6.30 pm today, the gathering at Kalagram was waiting to see the artist, who wrote on the invitation card: the exhibition will be inaugurated by somebody who will surprise you.”

No wonder, this surprised the visitors to his show by arranaging such a dramatic opening of his painting show in Mani Majra. The visitors, however, had to wait for very long to get a glimpse of the entire sequence as the “baraat” arrived quite late. Where the time for inauguration was mentioned as 5.30 pm, Suresh Kumar was busy getting married elsewhere till 6.30 pm (that is the time we left the venue).

As for the show, it reflects the artist’s mind. He has primarily painted women in company and brides. The works are bright and colourful. They suited the day well — as it was also the artist’s wedding day. Reports have it that he mounted his works by the morning and then went away to get ready for his marriage ceremony !

Dilwara comes to city
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 21
“Jainism is an explosive expansion of simple religious beliefs with theory and practice that were difficult to understand. It is a realm in itself, a religious and cultural microcosm and the Jain art gives us an insight into what it is.”

Pictures on wheels
The mobile gallery of the Sector 10 Goverment Museum was finally flagged off by the Punjab Governor and the UT Administrator, Lieut-Gen J.F.R. Jacob (retd), here today. Exhibits of a photo exhibition titled ‘Lord Mahavira in Pictorial Presentation’ has been mounted on this van at present. Loaded with photo prints of Jain art, the van will travel to all centres of education in the city and be on the roads for six months.

The hallmark of all Jain art is simplicity and proximity to Lord Mahavira, his life, preachings and practices. On the 2,600th birth anniversary of the founder of Jainism, an exhibition of Jain art seems timely. Titled ‘Bhagvan Mahavira: The Victor with Non-violence’, the show that presents the entire Jain culture in a capsule, opened today in the Sector 10 Government Museum and Art Gallery. The five-day exhibition that features monumental architectural pieces of Jain art from the Jaina Murti temple of west Punjab, is being organised by the museum in collaboration with the UT Administration and the Jain Maha Sangh.

The events before the inauguration of the exhibition by the Punjab Governor and the UT Administrator, Lieut-Gen J.F.R. Jacob (retd), fitted well into the scheme of things. A lecture by Dr D.C. Bhattacharya on the theme of the exhibition gave a good start to it. This was followed by a discourse on Jain principles by Agamgyata Up-pravartak Shri Jitendra Muniji. In his address, General Jacob recalled his association with the Jain temple in Calcutta and his visit to Dilwara Temple of Mount Abu.

The collection features museum’s own collection of Kalpasutra manuscripts, miniature paintings, relics, medieval Indian sculptures, photo prints and publications. The Kalpasutra is a treatise on the appropriate and forgiving conduct to be followed by ‘bhikshus’ in rains. Jain monks recite this treatise on the 50th day of the beginning of the rain rest.

Apart from the Kalpasutras, the collection has been enriched by the presence of art fragments from the Jaina Murti Temple. Jain art dates back to the beginning of the Christian era. The show features meditating Tirthankara in standing or sitting postures. The two 14th-century stone sculptures of Goddesses Padmavati and Jina are excellent and have been specially procured by the museum for this exhibition.

The ensemble traverses the entire plane of Jain discipline — from manuscripts depicting the birth of Mahavira, Indra praising Mahavira and the 11 Gandharas of Mahavira to incredible sculptures of the Kushana period. The show is an example of what Dr Bhattacharya says: “Jainism believes that this universe is elemental and eternal.”

Almost all principal themes of Jain art are featured in the exhibition, the most striking of which is the artistic presentation of the role of Jina, the significance of deities, the rituals and narrative role of illustrated texts, besides Jain cosmology as seen through paintings.

Importance has been given to places of Jain pilgrimages through paintings and photo prints. Sumant Shah’s aesthetic analysis of Lord Mahavira’s life is noteworthy.

The exhibition will be on till November 25 and can be seen between 10.30 am and 4.30 am on all days.