Chandigarh, March 1
Panjab University will be conferring honorary degrees of Doctor of Science (DSc) to renowned cardiologist Dr TS Kler and Dr SP Agarwal, secretary-general of the Indian Red Cross Society, during its annual convocation to be held on March 7.

The university will also be awarding an honorary Doctor of Literature (DLitt) to Rajinder Singh Saboo, a city-based social worker and businessman.

The names of the awardees were finalised by members of PU senate at a special meeting of the senate here this morning. President of India Dr APJ Abdul Kalam will be delivering the convocation address of the university on March 7.

According to the vice-chancellor Prof RC Sobti this is the first time that the nation’s President will be attending the convocation of the university.

Dr Kler had earlier been awarded the Padma Bhushan in 2005 and is the director of the Interventional Cardiology and Arrhythmia Services at Escorts Heart Institute and Research Centre, New Delhi. Dr Kler is a graduate of Government College, Patiala, and did his MD in medicine from the PGI in 1979 and then DM in cardiology in 1983.

He then worked in Saudi Arabia before leaving for the UK to do his MRCP. He joined Escorts in 1989.

Dr Agarwal is a renowned neuro surgeon and has remained the director-general of Health Services, Government of India. He was the honorary surgeon to two former Presidents of India.

Saboo, a resident of Chandigarh, is an active social worker and brought laurels to the nation when he became the World President of the Rotary International in 1991. He has worked intensively to promote the cause of polio eradication around the world and is considered the founding father of the movement.

Saboo is also responsible for initiating the ‘gift of life’ project in Chandigarh through the Rotary club by which children of economically weaker sections are given treatment for open heart surgeries.

Chandigarh, March 1
435 students of MCM DAV College were felicitated on the annual prize distribution function today. 264 academic prizes, 99 cultural prizes, 31 special prizes and 41 sports prizes were distributed.

A R. Kidwai, governor of Haryana graced the function as chief guest. Speaking on the occasion, he congratulated the prizewinners and exhorted them to continue in their endeavour of excelling as achievers. Padamshree Sardar Anjum was the guest of honour for the occasion.

Puneet Bedi, principal of the college, read out the annual report of the college highlighting the achievements of the college during the session 2006-07. A total of 40 college toppers received prizes for excelling in academics including Isha Sood (I in PU in BCA II); Namita Mishra (I in PU in B. Sc I Food Sciences); Geetu Sharma (I in PU in B.Sc II Food Sciences); Ritu Sharma (I in PU in B.Sc. III Food Sciences); Gillipose Minhas (I in PU in B. Sc. I Microbial and Food Technology); and Kiran Sandhu (I in college and VI in PU in M. Sc. IT).

Chandigarh March 1
Dr DS Hira has taken over as Director-principal of the SUS College of Engineering and Technology, Tangori, here. He had earlier served as the Principal of BBSB Engineering College, Fatehgarh Sahib, and GZS CET Bathinda.

Dr Hira has also remained Dean Academics, SLIET, Longowal, and held various positions at GND Engineering College, Ludhiana. He was received on joining by the Chairman of the college and trustees Sukhvinder Singh and Gurlabh Singh today.

He said technical education had grown rapidly over the past few years but due to a sudden quantitative growth the quality of education had suffered. He exhorted the faculty to make extensive use of modern electronic aids and motivate students to make better use of internet and electronic learning material.

Chandigarh, March 1
Students of Sikhya School, Sector 46, staged a play ‘Ye Tera Khel Ye Mera Khel’ on the second day of CEVA’s seventh children’s community theatre festival at the Neelam theatre complex today.

The theme of the play evolved during the theatre workshop as it was given a dramatic form later so as to perfectly bring forth the realisation toward sportsman spirit, harmony and mutual brotherhood. The residents of three mohallas like ‘Kanche Waale, Gulidanda waale and Cricket waale’, though all are keen sportsmen but dislike playing with each other.

Tension prevails as they express dominance and residents of each Mohalla collectively resort to burning the buildings of other mohallas. The play progresses to establish that the difference of opinion, clashes and infighting goes within all groups. Good sense prevails and they jointly ponder over the problems and settle them for ever. The presentation of a simple theme by child artists was convincing and the crowd relished the short play.

In the ‘Kabaad se Jugaad tak’ workshops the weaving baskets from rolled newspapers, making of jewellery from wire and paper beads, making of mats from waste rope, winding rope from waste cloth and interactive sessions on waste management marked the second day of the fest.

Chandigarh, March 1
Prof R.C. Sobti, vice-chancellor, Panjab University, inaugurated a four-week in-service training programme for college and university lecturers, being conducted by the UGC Academic Staff College, here today.

Chandigarh, March 1
Hemendra Bhatia is a little known but promising actor. One of his best roles was as Anna Sahib in Madhur Bhandarkar’s film “Satta” which exposed the dark side of Indian politics.

In the film, Bhatia played a diehard optimist who believes in the goodness of the system and returns to power purely on merit. Soon, he was picked up by Assamese filmmaker John Barua to play a small but significant role in his acclaimed film, “Maine Gandhi Ko Nahin Mara”. Two years later, Bhatia is ready to feature in Pooja Bhatt’s film, “Dhokha”, which is due for release this year.

In Chandigarh to finalise studio design for the Chandigarh Acting Institute (CAI) which will start its session from May 1, Bhatia spoke to The Tribune about why he chose a few films when he could have
chosen many.

“Sometimes you act to further a cause. I have always loved doing meaningful cinema,” said the actor, whose friendship with Anupam Kher landed him an important job at Actor Prepares, Kher’s academy in Mumbai. Currently dean of the academy, Bhatia spends most of his time training students. He also specialises in designing studios.

“Space plays a very important role in the success of acting classes. It has to be extremely functional and warm - a place where students can feel at home and let go of their inhibitions.

The Chandigarh Administration has given us a beautiful place to start the academy.

But we need to alter it to suit our needs,” said Bhatia, who was earlier teaching at the School of Dramatic Arts, Lucknow. It was here that he met Kher and the two struck a rapport.

Together, they featured in “Maine Gandhi Ko Nahin Mara” which made a layman empathize with those suffering from the Alzheimer’s disease. “Earlier in “Satta”, we mirrored the face of Indian politics and the dirty goings-on that affect the balance of power in our country.

I also featured in “Aan”, Bhatia said, before speaking about his works as a theatre person.

His most important project as a dramatist has been “Idiot”, a play he wrote for Mani Kaul. Inspired by Fyodor Dostoyevsky’s novel, the play explored the dynamics of love and the kind of emotion it inspires. “The play was about an epileptic man who returns from medical treatment abroad and finds himself in love with a girl called Natasia.

He is, however, made to marry someone else only to have an epileptic seizure on the wedding night. Finally, he goes back to Natasia, who deserts him for another man, on their wedding night,” says Bhatia.

But chunk of his time goes to Actor Prepares, which has floated a talent company to help filmmakers and television producers find good actors.

Only recently, Bhatia helped BBC find actors for two of Satyajit Ray’s plays they are producing. One of them is a thriller titled, “Feluda”.