The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

EDUCATION

SCHOOL BUZZ
Films on AIDS produced, directed and acted by students
Smriti Kak

DPS, R K Puram, has been selected as the nodal centre for an UNICEF-sponsored project to spread AIDS awareness and S. Suraj and Aditya Jha, students in class XI of the school, have just returned from a trip to Mumbai in this regard.

The students are busy making three films, which will be directed and produced by them. They will also play act in these productions. This prestigious programme in which students from several other eminent schools are participating is aimed at creating AIDS awareness among the people. In Mumbai, the students met several prominent filmmakers including Mahesh Bhatt and learnt from him the techniques of making a film.

Mahesh Bhatt is currently in Delhi to give his advice regarding the project, which is being co-ordinated superbly through the painstaking efforts of Mr Ajay Kanchan and Ms Garima Tyagi of UNICEF who are working practically round the clock to ensure its success.

Here is some more good news for ‘DPSites’. Several students of DPS RK Puram have participated in a Star TV programme anchored by Mr Vir Sanghvi in which eminent political leaders answered questions posed by the students. The programme was aired on Sunday on several Star TV channels. They will now participate in another programme anchored by Mr Karan Thapar titled ‘The Big Question’.

AIDS BADGES

Red ribbon badges were given to students of selected schools by Alee Club on the World AIDS Day.

To augment their struggle against social evils and diseases, the Alee Club distributed red ribbon badges on the World AIDS Day to schools.

The red ribbon badges were a symbol of courage and vigour to fight the deadly disease. The schools, which received these badges, are Bal Bharti, Pusa Road, Maharaja Agrasen School, Pitampura, Air Force Golden Jubilee and Evergreen Public School, Vasundhara Enclave.

Bal Bharti organised an AIDS awareness assembly on the school campus, where a team of Alee Club members, including Mr L. V. Sehgal, senior advocate H. M. Sethi, Dr Lipika and choreographer Sambhita and Mr Mehta, spoke on the need to smoke out the disease.

An essay writing competition was also held where students expressed their views about AIDS eradication. The topic ‘How to root out AIDS from our society’ gave students the opportunity to write what they feel were the measures to wipe out AIDS.

Mr Mehta opined that the primary objective of the AIDS eradication programme was to initiate a massive awareness drive. He added since adolescents were more prone to being infected with the disease, there was a need to educate them. The students need to be applauded for their role in infusing the patients with courage and vigour.

SHOW-STEALERS

Audience was treated to a two-hour cultural programme by students of Apeejay School, Pitampura, on their annual day.

Three exceptionally talented children stole the show at the annual prize distribution day of Apeejay School, Pitampura. Besides these three, 176 other children were also presented with awards for excellence in academics and sports.

A two-hour long cultural programme was presented by students to mark the day which the school very aptly describes as the “Appreciation Day”.

The Director, Education, Mr Gyanendra Srivastava, was the chief guest, while Ms Sushma Berlia, vice-president, Apeejay Education Society, presided over the function.

The principal of the school, Mr D. K. Bedi, in his address, gave an account of the various activities that took place in the school and also mentioned the special achievements of the students. The most coveted “Principal’s Special Award” was bagged by Shweta Chaudhury of Class XII, who has not only excelled in academics, but also in sports despite having lost her one leg 10 years ago.

The other two who held the limelight on the annual day were Anjul Patney, a Class XI student, and Shubhanjali Gupta, a Class VIII student. Anjul was selected for a special award, ‘Kishore Vaigyanik’ (young scientist), by the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore on behalf of the Department of Science, Government of India. Anjul was also awarded a fellowship.

Meanwhile, Shubhanjali was honoured with the third special award. The budding poet, Shubhanjali has recently won the International Young Poet Medallion for her poem ‘Childhood A Bed of Roses’. The poem has been published in the United States.

TRADEMARK QUIZ

Amity Law School hosted a two-day All India Inter Law Schools Trademark Quiz Competition in association with Ella Cheong Mirandah and Spursons (ECMS).

The competition, which was attended by over 30 law schools across the country, was a part of a global collaborative effort to spearhead knowledge and awareness about trademark issues.

Trademark laws and related topics have assumed a greater significance in the era of knowledge-driven economy. Events like this are seen as a part of a worldwide education programme to foster the study.

Speaking on the occasion Ms Ella Cheong, chairperson and CEO, ECMS, said, “Awareness about trademark issues are important not only for manufacturers but also for consumers. In the years to come, intellectual property rights and trademark issues will form a major chunk of corporate litigation making this a fast growing field.”

West Bengal University of Judicial Sciences won the first prize of Rs 20,000 while Benares Hindu University Law School walked away with the second prize of Rs 15,000. The third prize of Rs. 10,000 went to Delhi University, Law Centre - I. In addition to this, two Amity-sponsored consolation prizes went to the Army Institute of Law and Symbiosis Law College.

TECH FOR TEACHERS

iLearn, an Apple authorised learning centre, organised a debate for the north zone teachers earlier this month. The topic for the debate was ‘The changing scenario of education in India and the role of technology, therein’.

Teachers from about half a dozen schools in the Delhi participated. While Joya Lal of Frank Anthony came first, the second and third positions went to Shukti Dutt of Heritage School and Vidya Surendran of Vasant Valley School, respectively.

Eminent educationists like the deputy secretary general, CBCI, Rev Dr Donald H. R. D’Souza, director of the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation, Prof Bibek Roy, and national secretary of the All India Association of Catholic Schools, Sister Celine Xavier, adjudged the debate.

iLearn aims at making better use of technology for learning by setting up computerised learning centres in select schools across the country. Their key objectives are to assist schools in their efforts to restructure education through the use of technology, create a techno-savvy environment within the school campus and provide a realistic investment support system for schools, students and the community.

AC SCHOOL

Uttar Pradesh Governor Vishnukant Shastri laid the foundation stone for Ghaziabad’s first ever air-conditioned school being built by the Khaitan Education Society.

Here is some good news for school goers. Khaitan Public School, a fully air-conditioned school, will soon open its doors for the tiny tots. The Governor of Uttar Pradesh, Mr Vishnukant Shastri, laid the foundation stone for Ghaziabad’s first air-conditioned school.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. G. N. Khaitan, chairman of the Khaitan Education Society, said, “Initially, the school will cater to only the kindergarten and primary level students. The aim will be to impart them with the best of academic and extra-curricular activities.”

He went on to add, “Quality education not only means quality academics, but a perfect blend of academics, sports and other activities. We firmly believe that each child is unique and capable of quality work even though his or her pace of learning may vary”.

CHILD PAINTERS

The 50th Shankar’s on-the-spot painting competition was held on the Modern School grounds on November 25. The competition, which is held each year, is looked forward to by those gifted with the ability to draw and paint well. It is an offshoot of Shankar’s International Children’s Competition that started in 1951 and aims at providing each child a platform to express his/her artistic talent.

The origin of this yearly event can be traced back to a challenge the late Shankar took to prove to art critics that the entries received for a contest held in 1951 were children’s unaided efforts.

He then organised an on-the-spot competition for children at the venue of the exhibition itself and since then began the much-acclaimed Shankar’s Painting Competition. The competition, which was divided into three categories, had children from ages five to 16. For the tiny tots, the themes were ‘a party’, ‘feeding birds’, ‘Divali’, ‘flowers’ and ‘my car’.

SPORTS

Punjab and Sind Bank lift Shastri Hockey title
Our Sports Reporter

New Delhi, December 9
Punjab and Sind Bank warded off a stiff challenge from star-studded Indian Airlines to regain the Shastri Hockey Tournament title at the Shivaji Stadium here on Sunday.

In an engrossing final, watched by a sizable crowd, Punjab and Sind Bank (PSB) beat Indian Airlines 2-1 to lift the trophy for the fourth time in the tournament’s 12-year-old history. Oil and Natural Gas Commission were awarded the Fair Play Trophy. Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilisers Sukhdev Singh

Dhindsa gave away the prizes. Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal was also present to witness the match. The Bankmen and Airlines set up a furious pace from the outset, and the ball moved from one end to the other in a fast-forward relay. PSB forged ahead first when Parminder Singh converted a penalty corner. Bimal Lakra got the equaliser for Indian Airlines with a solo effort. Sandeep Singh Ghuman scored the matchwinner for the PSB, and they held on to the slender lead till the end of the contest.

Though the Bankmen dominated the first half, they were at the receiving end on resumption. And they were lucky that Indian Airlines could not capitalise on the number of openings they got as all their good midfield work ended in a whimper at the goal area. The crowded Bank defence did a good job in thwarting Olympian Mukesh Kumar and company in the Airlines’ attacking line-up.

Both the teams had a fair number of national players, though the star cast was rather heavy in the Airlines ranks.

But in the end, Mukesh Kumar, Mohd Riaz, Altaf-ur-Rehman, Samir Dad, Brojen Singh, Rajnish Mishra and company could not deliver the goals for Airlines. And that did them in. For PSB, the victory was a reassertion of their standing in Shastri Hockey, and redemption of their image as they had lost to Bharat Petroleum in the title clash last year.