EDUCATION

Students seek grace marks
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, May 8
A large number of students who took the English (Elective) Paper-B for BA Part III on April 21 have made an appeal to the Panjab University authorities to allow them grace marks so that their careers were not spoiled due to the negligence of the paper setter.

In support of their appeal, the students have stated that the grammar portion of the paper was tough and out of syllabus. The questions were also not of the level of students of BA Part-III. Moreover, choice of answering five questions out of a total of eight was also not given to them. They were given six questions in all out of which they were required to answer five, added the students.

COURTS

Three acquitted in murder case
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, May 8
The Additional Sessions Judge, Mr A.K. Sharma, today acquitted Gurpal Singh, his father Jagtar Singh and his mother Manjit Kaur, residents of Bhambia Khurd, village, who had been booked under Sections 302 and 34 of the Indian Penal Code. Gurpal Singh had allegedly killed Narmail Singh on November 27, 1998.

According to the complaint, Gurpal Singh, along with his parents, was working in his fields when his rival Mahinder Singh, along with his friends Tarseem and Narmail Singh, arrived and they fought over a land dispute. Gurpal Singh had allegedly run over Narmail Singh by his tractor and the deceased had died on the way to hospital.

One acquitted
The Additional Sessions Judge, Mr G.R Banyal, acquitted Mewa Singh, a resident of Sidhwan Kalan, who had been booked for possessing 20 bags of poppy husk of 35 kg each. He was arrested on June 20, 1997, near Agwar Gujran village with the poppy husk and had registered a case under Sections 15, 61 and 85 of the NDPS Act. 

Life term for murderer
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, May 8
The District and Sessions Judge Mr S.S. Arora, has convicted Daljit Singh (27), a resident of Jatana village, for murdering Jasbir Singh alias Guddu (30) with a sharp-edged weapon on August 11, 1998, and sentenced him to life imprisonment. However, the other accused in the case, Daljit Singh’s father Ram Singh (53) and his brother Baljit Singh (30) was acquitted. 

CULTURE

From veterinary doctor to writer
Surinder Bhardwaj

Fatehgarh Sahib
THE district has to its credit a renowned writer, Dr Harchand Singh Sirhindi. His writings on sex have given the impression that this topic is no longer taboo in the middle class. His books can be read and even enjoyed by adolescents. He has written on various aspects of sex in a very lucid style in Punjabi. He has been awarded with Dr Hargobind Khurana Award.

Dr Sirhindi has to his credit more than 16 books. He has highlighted many social evils and written many articles about the deplorable condition of women in society. Many of his articles have been translated into Hindi and Urdu.

His services towards Punjabi literature have been widely recognised by Punjabi University and Guru Nanak Dev University. His book titled ‘The Origin and Development of Punjabi Literature’ is in the course of MA (Punjabi) in both universities. Even the universities included his essays in BA and B.Sc course. Similarly, the Punjab School Education Board has included his essay in the Class VII Punjabi course.

Dr Sirhindi has also been awarded with M.S. Randhawa Award and Dr Hargobind Khurana Award. Besides this, his essay was adjudged best by the Language Department. He has been honoured with the Banda Singh Gold Medal 2000 by the Bairagi Mahamandal, Punjab.

He started his career at the age of 48 after quitting the post of a veterinary doctor. He considers Waris Shah as his inspiration and gives credit to his wife for achievement. He believes that the future of Punjabi literature is very bright.