Ludhiana, January 3
A week-long course on renewable energy-based technologies was organised at Guru Nanak Dev Engineering College (GNDEC) by the Mechanical and Production Engineering Department under the ongoing golden jubilee celebrations here recently. 

The course was organised in collaboration with the ISTE, New Delhi. It was inaugurated by Dr Vijaya Gupta, Director, Punjab Engineering College, Chandigarh, and Mr Jasbir Singh, Chairman, GS Auto International, was the guest of honour. Mr Harmeet Singh and Mr Prem Singh, coordinators of the course, welcomed the chief guest and other guests.

Dr Sahajpal Singh, Prof and Head, Mechanical and Production Engineering Department, briefed the delegates about the course. Dr Parampal Singh, Head, Mechanical Engineering, PAU, was the keynote speaker. He spoke about the present state of various energy resources and the need of alternative resources. Mr Anupam Nanda, District Manager, PEDA, Ludhiana, and Dr H.K. Grewal, Principal, were also present.

The course had technical sessions for five days by various experts from all over Punjab where topics related to renewable energy were covered. This program was specifically organised for the development of renewable energy and creating an awareness among technocrats about it. 

At the concluding session, Dr Bhupinder Singh, energy man of Uttranchal and former Professor of IIT, Roorkee, was the chief guest. Dr S.B. Singh, former Principal, GNDEC, was the guest of honour. Dr Bhupinder Singh, alumni of GNDEC, congratulated the organisers for conducting this course and emphasised the need of alternate fuels. Dr S.B. Singh and Dr H.K. Grewal congratulated and encouraged the faculty of the department for organising this course and also stressed on the industry-institute interaction. 

The course was attended by around 30 delegates from the local industry and technical/management institutes of India. Mr Harmeet Singh summarised the course, while Prof Prem Singh thanked the chief guest and the other delegates for making this course a success. 

Mandi Gobindgarh, January 3
The Desh Bhagat Institute of Management & Computer Sciences at Mandi Gobindagrh celebrated New Year with festivity mixed with religious fervor on the campus. It started by chanting prayers and mantras and performing a havan in the new Management Building Complex at 10 am. Dr Zora Singh, Chairman, Desh Bhagat Group, Mrs Tajinder Kaur, Vice-President and Mrs Shalini Gupta, Director, DBIMCS, performed the ritual. Shabad kirtan was recited and all faculty and staff members offered prayers. They prayed to God for giving them courage to accomplish the ongoing task of the institute successfully and attain great heights.

Thereafter, a gala dance party was organised where all faculty members danced to the tunes of Hindi songs and western music. Dr Zora Singh said he was in favour of mixing up with staff and faculty members with an open mind on such occasions. This helped one to come out of the cocoon of one's egoistic reflection, but simultaneously one should maintain the poise of mind in the din of such festivities. He wished every one a happy New Year and desired them to teach the students with dedication to improve their educational standard and so also of the institute.

Ludhiana, January 3
Dr Gursharanjit Singh Sandhu, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Mathematics of SCD Government College, has been selected by the National Board for Higher Mathematics, Department of Atomic Energy, Government of India, to represent the country at the International Congress of Industrial and Applied Mathematics (ICIAM 2007) to be held at Zurich, Switzerland, from July 16-20, 2007. 

He has been given financial assistance of Rs 1,07,570 to meet the expenses like Visa fee, travel, accommodation, registration etc. Dr Malkiat Singh, Principal, said it was a rare honour for the college. Dr Sandhu would present a paper on ‘Magneto-hydrodynamics’ at the conference.

Ludhiana, January 3
Mr Rahul Laxmanrao, a student of Punjab Agricultural University, has been honoured with national award by the Indian Society of Technical Education for the best MTech thesis. The award carries a cash prize of Rs 10,000 and a citation. The society also gave a certificate of achievement to his advisor Dr V.K. Sehgal, coordinator of research (Agricultural Engineering). Laxmanrao worked on ‘Development of low-cost polisher for turmeric rhizomes’.

Another student of Dr Sehgal, Ms Gopika Arora, has been given award for the best student innovative project at the Master's level in Engineering-2006 by the Indian Academy of Engineers. She worked on ‘Effect of enzymatic pre-treatment on milling characteristics of basmati rice’.

Dean, Postgraduate Studies, Dr S.S. Chahal, has congratulated the students and Dr V.K. Sehgal for their achievements.