Chandigarh, January 17
Dev Samaj College of Education, Sector 36, here organised a Orientation Programme on Research Methodology yesterday. The programme was sponsored by the College Development Council, Panjab University. Dr Satinder Dhillon, Principal, welcomed at least 65 delegates from colleges affiliated with PU and neighbouring states.

The speakers in the technical sessions were Prof Asha Sethi, Consultant, JSS, Mohali, Prof B.S.Ghuman, Chairperson, Department of Public Administration, Panjab University, Dr Sanjeev K. Sharma, Department of University Business School, PU, Dr Mahendru, Department Computer Science, PU and Dr B.D. Budhiraja, Dean, College Development Council.

Prof B.S. Ghuman, Chairperson, Department of Public Administration, Panjab University, Chandigarh delivered the keynote address entitled “Research Methodology - Key Issues”. Prof Ghuman touched upon the significance of research. He stated that most of the current research is repetitive, descriptive instead of analytical and lacks alternative paradigms. He called upon participants to endeavour towards making social science research relevant.

In the first technical session, Prof Asha Sethi, Consultant, JSS, Mohali, talked about the qualitative and quantitative research approaches. She concluded the session by making a comparative presentation of both research methods highlighting their strengths.

Dr Sanjeev Sharma, Department of University Business School, in the post lunch session, talked on “research funding” in the faculty of social sciences. Dr Sharma familiarised the delegates with national and international scholarships and other donor agencies that fund researches at all levels. He highlighted various schemes of the UGC, ICSSR and AICTE.

Dr Mahendru, Department Computer Science, PU, gave a practical demonstration of the usage of SPSS package used nowadays for data analysis. In his presentation, he highlighted how research scholars themselves with help of the SPSS package can now analyze their data. Dr B.D. Budhiraja, Dean, College Development Council, PU, was the chief guest at the valedictory function.

Chandigarh, January 17
The Centre for Adult, Continuing Education and Extension (CACEE), Panjab University, here in collaboration with EduCARE India, organised a presentation-cum-discussion programme on “Emerging opportunities in teaching and learning through interactive Internet media and television in formal school education sector in India” at ICSSR Complex here today.

Dr Sween, Director, CACEE, highlighted the applicability, feasibility and usability of EduSAT programmes in the formal school system. Mr B.S. Bhullar, Chief Project Director, EduCARE India, said that the main objective of this event is to create a platform for sharing of knowledge and to gather as many points of view on the subject as possible for the future of Indian society as a whole and especially its children and youth.

Mr Rajeev Sharma, Assistant State Project Director, Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, Punjab, gave a presentation on the future vision of EduSAT interactive education programmes for the schools in the region. Mr Shail from a Canadian education media company, gave a presentation on how to incorporate new technologies and strategies from the West in local systems.

Chandigarh, January 17
An exhibition on road safety was organised by the Chandigarh Traffic Police at the State Institute of Education (SIE), Sector 32, here today.

Mr K. L. Sodhi, Director, SIE, inaugurated the exhibition. The expo commences with an open lecture on road safety, its importance and the consequences of ignoring traffic rules by Head Constable Sunil Mehta.

Chandigarh, January 17
The soulful rendition of ghazals in a specially designed musical concert, 'Tarannum', by Rinku Kalia, marked the setting up of the Shri Shanti Sarup Sharma (S-4) Memorial Educational and Charitable Trust. Ms Harjinder Kaur, the city mayor, who was the chief guest, inaugurated the programme lauding the missionary zeal of the trust.

Acclaimed ghazal exponent and playback singer, Rinku Kalia, winner of Zee TV's highest rated musical competition,"Se Re Ga Ma Pa', illuminated the horizons of melody at the concert organised by Pearls at the Tagore theatre, here today.

Employing her versatility as an imaginative classical vocalist with an intrinsic ability of voice modulation, she kept the select gathering spellbound for over two hours.

Be it the classic ghazal "Dhal gaya chand gayi raat", or "Rasme ulfat nibha gya koyee", she delved deep to bring alive the lyrical intent of the ghazals with ease.

Rinku doled out compositions immortalised by great masters and displayed the romantic majesty of Urdu couplets, much to the applause of the audience.

Dinesh Raheja (keyboard), Munish Sachdeva (guitar), Parveen Rathi(tabla) and Subhash Nayak (percussion) articulated the melody meter while Vijay Vashisht compered the programme.

Meanwhile, the newly-formed trust adopted Riyanka Mandal, a Class III student of DPS, Chandigarh to uplift the girl child besides promoting performing arts, informed a spokesman of the trust. M.K. Mahajan, Chairman, IT Planets, was the guest of honour.

Chandigarh, January 17
Success and Smita Jaykar have never been strange bedfellows. That explains her presence in dream projects that character artistes can only aspire to be part of.

Jaykar has been integral to most blockbusters that have hit the big screen in recent past. And yet, deep down she is one of us - struggling to keep her ground, nursing a killer instinct, harboruing jealousies, feeling insecure….Only she’s courageous enough to admit to fears that once hounded her like the day hounds the night.

In Chandigarh on a mission, the actor opened her heart in an exclusive interview with Chandigarh Tribune today. She spoke of how the past 12 years had been about rediscovering the self through a process of healing preached at Oneness University. Founded by Amma and Bhagwan — a couple based at Chennai, the university offers instruction in spiritually-healing processes that have been scientifically tested and proven.

“The processes mastered by Amma and Bhagwan have been officially adopted by the governments of Japan, Germany and China. They are known to lift your levels of consciousness through transfer of energies. It’s not like preaching a cult. It’s simply a question of faith. I speak from experience and like everyone else, I also started out with a sense of disbelief. But as I opened my mind, I realized there was power in the principles of Oneness as preached by Amma and Bhagwan,” said Jaykar.

Smelling the skeptic in us, she added, “As skeptics, we are all looking for answers. But the only way to get to answers is to be open to questions. When I started my quest for spirituality, I was a very anxious seeker. My heart was bruised by jealousies I was keeping, by insecurities I was living. It was not easy to be in Bollywood without feeling the pinch of it. All sorts of negative influences were operating. You wanted to be the best; you feared growing old and you wanted to upstage rivals. Simply put - you were overstretching yourself all the time. I was desperate for inner peace.”

It was this search that led Jaykar to Chennai and then to Oneness University of Amma-Bhagwan, of whom she is a staunch devotee. The process of healing works simply, she says. “We transfer energies. The basis of our system is the human touch and its power to heal. We are now strengthening our base in the north.”

Part of the movement to heal people through the principles of Oneness, Jaykar is almost always on the move holding satsang. In the one she held here today, she spoke of how she is now at peace with herself.

“I no longer worry about film directors casting others over me. But that does not mean I don’t strive to excel in my chosen field.”