Mandi Ahmedgarh, February 24
Nancy of Raikot College of Bhutta, Rajwinder Kaur of Guru Gobind College and Alka of BCM College, Ludhiana, emerged the best prospective teachers in preparing teaching aids in their respective media of instruction at the Panjab University skill-in-teaching competition held at Bhutta College of Education Bhutta near here yesterday.

A model prepared by a participant in Punjab University skill-in-teaching competition.

Vijay Bahadur of Bhutta College, Jaspreet Kaur of BCM College, Ludhiana, and Deepak Kumari of GHG Khalsa College of Education, Gurusar Sadhar, achieved top positions in skill-in-teaching in these categories.

About 70 students from 11 education colleges of Ludhiana zone excelled at a competition organised under observation of Dr S S Sangha, Dean Faculty of Education Punjab University Chandigarh. Dr Deepak Manmohan Dean Faculty of Language, PUC was the chief guest.

According to Ms Kiran Walia and Mr Pargat Singh in-charges of the event, more than 70 students, doing B Ed at various colleges affiliated to Punjab University, exhibited their skill in teaching in Hindi, Punjabi and English. Besides showing their talent in imparting knowledge to students, they prepared teaching aids on the spot. Models on village heritage, rural life style, Punjabi Culture, pollution, Sajjan and robbers and seven ages were appreciated by all.

Romila Walia (Malwa Central College of Education Ludhiana), Kamaljit Kaur (Raikot College of Education), Bayankpal of GHG Harparkash College of Education Sidhwan Khurad, Jyoti (BCM College of Education Ludhiana) Raminder Kaur (GHG Khalsa College of Education Gurusar Sadhar), and Chitra (Bhutta College of Education) bagged second prizes in their respective categories.

Goldy Bhanwara (BCM College Ldh), Jyoti Sobti (Guru Gobind Singh College of Education Kamalpura), Suchali Jain (GMT College of Education Ldh), Ruchi Singh (Doraha College of Education), Manpreet Kaur (Nankana Sahib College of Education, Kot Gangu Rai Ldh) and Jaskiran Kaur (Bhutta College) were adjudged third the two competitions held in English, Hindi and Punjabi media of instruction.

The organisers informed that toppers in each category would participate in inter-zonal competition scheduled to take place at Ludhiana on February 26.

Mr Jagdish Singh Garcha, MLA, Kilaraipur, and promoter of the host institute, while addressing concluding function, claimed that the students from rural institutes had faired better. "As they are in a better position understand the mindset of school students of rural areas, they came up with modes of teaching that has since been ignored by the traditional educators," he argued exhorting parents to get their wards trained in the field at colleges established in villages. 

Ludhiana February 24
It was an occasion of joy and pride for 60 graduates of the 2001 batch of Dayanand Medical College and Hospital as they were awarded degrees and prizes at the convocation organised at Dumra Auditorium here today. The chief guest on the occasion was Dr S.B. Khurana, former Principal of the DMCH.

The convocation began with the welcome address by Dr S.C. Chopra, Dean, Academics, who introduced the chief guest to the audience.

Dr Daljit Singh, Principal, DMCH, read out the annual report of the college and highlighted the achievements and progress made by its various departments, faculty and units.

He acknowledged that the tremendous progress of this institution had been possible with the vision and commitment of the managing society coupled with the whole-hearted endeavour and efforts of the faculty and staff.

Appreciating the progress made by the DMCH, the chief guest Dr S.B. Khurana, spoke on the contribution of the DMCH in providing quality health care to the millions of people in the region and producing eminent medical professionals. He said it was a matter of great privilege for the graduates of this institution for getting best of exposure in academics and practical training in their chosen field. In his message, he advised the graduates to aim for far-reaching goals. He stressed that a doctor should always give utmost consideration to satisfaction of a patient.

Mr Brijmohan Lal Munjal, President of the DMCH Managing Society, congratulated the graduates and asked them to fulfill their duty with utmost dedication and within the limits of medical ethics. He exhorted medical graduates to keep faith in their profession.

In his address at the annual convocation, he asked them to continuously update their knowledge as it was expanding at a fast pace.

Dr Jagdeep Whig, Vice- Principal of the DMCH, administered the Hippocratic oath to the fresh graduates before presenting them their degrees.

For batch 2001, a gold medal for the best graduate was presented to Dr. Harmeet Riyat and the silver to Dr Divya Mittal. The best all-rounder award went to Dr Harmeet Riyat while the best intern award was given to Dr Preet Mohinder Singh. In all, the chief guest presented 69 prizes and 12 medals to the students of various batches who had excelled in various subjects.

Among the distinguished guests present at the function were Mr Sunil Kant Munjal and Mr Dharam Vir Bector, vice-presidents of DMCH managing society, Mr Prem Gupta, Secretary, DMCH managing society, Mr Satish Sanwalka, Treasurer of the DMCH managing society and members of the management, including Mr Amrit Nagpal, Mr Balraj Kumar, Mr Gian Chand Dhawan, Mr H.D.Dumra, Dr.N.Dube, Former Principal, DMCH and Medical Superintendents of DMCH- Dr. Sandeep Puri and Dr.Rajoo Singh Chhina.

The convocation concluded with Dr Sandeep Puri proposing a vote of thanks to the dignitaries present on the occasion.

Ludhiana February 24
The students of College of Home Science of Punjab Agricultural University here took out a procession in Cheemna village, near here, yesterday. The aim of this procession was to make the people aware of their environment. Fourteen girl students from PAU and more than 50 students from Government Senior Secondary School, Cheemna, participated in the procession.

The students took out the procession with the banners “Save Water, Save Punjab”; “Do not exploit water resources”; “Avoid excessive use of insecticides/pesticides”; and “Drug addiction is a curse”.

Through the banners, students tried to make people aware of these social evils. The women of Cheemna village also joined the procession.

Dr. Mohindra revealed that a camp regarding agriculture literature will be organised in this village on February 26 where people will be acquainted with the agriculture literature being published by the PAU. 

Conference begins at Kamla Lohtia college
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, February 25
Sixth edition of a three-day photo exhibition Drishtikon, creation of international photo artistes, Tej Partap Singh Sandhu and Ranjodh Singh, was inaugurated by State Information Commissioner PPS Gill and Deputy Commissioner, Ludhiana, Ashok Kumar Gupta, at Sundial Hall, Sutlej Club, Ludhiana, today.

Based on mother nature, the objective of this year’s exhibition is to provide peace and harmony to the human heart for the eyes, boost to the soul and food for thought.The photographs have captured the beauty of scenes abroad and home. Flowers, trees, leaves---all have been captured by the lens of Sandhu and Ranjodh Singh.

Commenting on Drishtikon, Deputy Commissioner Ashok Kumar Gupta said that one feels complete after watching this photo exhibition.’’From flowers, birds, ocean, grand canyon etc, almost every aspect of mother nature has been covered in it. I congratulate them on this effort of theirs and hope they keep growing every year.’’

PPS Gill, State Information Commissioner, said that an art centre should be developed in this industrial city where such exhibitions and other cultural activities should be organised.

Other guests who visited the exhibition included president, Punjabi Sahit Akademi, and renowned Punjabi poet Surjit Patar, Ranjit Singh, former minister Jasbir Singh, Editor, Mehram Group of Publications, Karamjit Singh, Bhartiya Sahit Academy award winner Niranjan Tasneem, former MLA Jagdev Singh Jassowal, Kewal Dhir, Prin Prem Singh Bajaj, sr vice president, Punjabi Sahit Akademi, Gurbhajan Gill, general secretary, Punjabi Sahit Akademi, Ravinder Bhattal, Kanwaljit Singh Shanker, Nirmal Jaura, Surjit Singh Patiala, former Mayor Apinder Singh Grewal, Sarup Singh Alag, Mahinder Singh Cheema, Bharat Bhushan Goel, Bhai Harjinder Singh Srinagarwale, additional director, Food Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs, Punjab, H S Sidhu, sr deputy advocate general, Punjab, Harpreet Singh Sandhu and many more.

This photo exhibition will continue till February 26 and its timings are 11 am to 9 pm.

Ludhiana February 24
Zila Khan, the daughter of an illustrious father and great star maestro Ustad Villayat Khan, has a recorded musical legacy as long as seven generations. Enough reason for her to stick to the roots and tradition of Sufism in her music, while at the same time trying to reinterpret it in her own way.

Sufism, the quest for the divine love, has its own musical manifestations scripted since eleventh century and enriched from time to time by great exponents of this philosophy like Zahin Shah, Amir Khusroo and many others.

And Zila Khan reinterprets this mystic tradition using her mind, body and soul. That is where from the true music flows, rather outpours. If it is real it has to be Sufiana, for it is the true love, called Ashq-e-Haqeeqi (the Love of God) in Sufi tradition, against the Ashq-e-Majazi (the mundane love).

When she presented the Sufiana Kalam at the Guru Nanak Bhawan during a musical show organised by the Ludhiana Sanskritik Sammagam here last evening, Zila Khan made everybody feel as passionately involved as she was herself.

For two hours she regaled the audience with popular kalams like "chhap tilak sabb chheenee ray...", "hey ri sakhi aaj khwaja ghar aayo..." and one a Punjabi number "akhiyan nu rehn de, akhiyan de kol kol..."and others.

Later, during an interaction with the reporters, she defended her strong belonging to the Sufi tradition. She said while there were some ideal Sufi singers like Abida Parveen, there were others who were trying to cash in on the Sufi name by just camouflaging their pop numbers with a couple of words drawn from Sufi tradition.

She said the appeal of Sufiana music was as strong today as it was in the past. She disclosed that her concerts were houseful whether in India or abroad. Moreover, she maintained that a Sufi singer is not bothered much about the size of the audience. Because he or she is himself/herself too "passionately involved" with the music.

Named after the famous raag of Amir Khusroo, Zila Kafi, Zila Khan is settled in Muscat with her doctor husband and two children. She also teaches music and is a visiting professor of several universities world over. She has also produced a documentary on her father Ustad Vilayat Khan. She is the first woman in the seven generations to taken to music.