EDUCATION

PCCTU to organise rallies
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 1
The Punjab and Chandigarh College Teachers’ Union (PCCTU) along with federations of principals and managements of non-government aided colleges will organise rallies in various districts of Punjab.

This was decided, here today, at a meeting of the Joint Action Committee where members supported the proposal of organising rallies in the constituency of the Punjab Chief Minister and along with other ministers of Mr Badal’s cabinet, according to the official spokesman.

The members of the JAC are protesting against the non-availability of details of the pension-cum-gratuity scheme approved by the Cabinet as also the proposed cut in grant-in-aid to private colleges. They said that a delegation of the JAC committee was informed by the government that the government had decided to cut the 95 per cent grants, gradually reducing these to 50 per cent before finally doing away with such aid.

Also, resentment has been brewing among the members with the government failing to bring the 30 unaided colleges under the 95 per cent grant-in-aid scheme despite repeated assurances.

It was also decided that the JAC would organise a convention on the proposed cut which would lead to a hike in college fee to meet the expenses. The convention would be held at SD College, Sector 32, on January 10 where parents, students and teachers would be invited to give their views.

The decision was taken after the dharna by the PCCTU organised outside the office of the DPI (Colleges) to protest against the non-implementation of their demands. The chain hunger strike began outside the DPI office on December 20.

IT programme for teachers concludes
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 1
The in-service training programme on information technology for school teachers, being organised at Chandi Mandir for teachers of Army schools and Army public schools, concluded today.

Twentytwo teachers from 11 schools functioning under the Western Command attended the programme, which was organised in collaboration with Intel.

The objective of the programme was to catch up with the latest technology in the field of education.

The participating teachers were made proficient in the art of integrating IT with teaching to make the learning process easier.

The two teachers who attended the programme will further have to train 10 teachers in their respective schools within a period of three months.

Each participant has been given an MS Office software package and one Encarta Encyclopaedia worth Rs 30,000 by Intel, while each school will get MS Office with 10-user line licence for 10 machines and 10 Encarta Encyclopaedia worth Rs 1 lakh.

The first and second positions in the programme were bagged by Ms Sona (Army School, Jalandhar) and Mr Sanjeev (Army School, Bathinda), respectively.

The Brigadier Administration, Headquarters Western Command, Brig Tara Singh, presided over the valedictory function.

Khatana visits integration camp
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 1
The OSD to the Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, Government of India, Mr Begraj Khatana, inspected the residential arrangement at the on-going national integration camp at MCM DAV College here today.

Emphasising the dignity of labour at NSS Vatika developed by the volunteers, Mr Khatana dug up the earth with a spade while applauding the efforts made by the NSS Regional Centre.

During his address, he assured the volunteers of all possible help from the ministry, while stressing the need for discipline and character building in the youth.

A cultural programme was presented on the occasion by the volunteers from different states. The chief guest, Mr S.S. Sharma, Secretary, Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, highlighted the need for such camps to bring different cultures together.

CULTURE

Safri Boyz doing well but yet to leave impression
Parbina Rashid

Chandigarh, January 1
Does the name Safri Boyz conjure up an image of torn jeans and earring clad rock band? If the answer is yes, that could not be further from the truth. Because even though coated with a heavy dose of modern western music, this UK-based music group is very much Punjabi in character which owes it’s origin to a small band floated by Balwinder Safri in his home town of Kapurthala.

“Because of our unique style of singing we are more popular abroad than in India,” says Balwinder Safri, the lead singer of the group, who along with his troupe is doing an Indian tour that started in the Press Club here yesterday. By ‘unique style’ he means Punjabi folk blended with modern western music which differs from pop.

Though Safri Boyz’s two albums “Untouched Safri” and “Tu Hur Soniye” were well accepted by Indian music lovers, the group has yet to make its presence felt here. “To popularise the band we are going in for a image transformation by making our music more Indianised,” says Balwinder.

And the outcome is soon going come out in the shape of a new album with the ‘originality’ of true Punjabi culture, says the singer. “We are going to use a lot of Punjabi folk instruments and the kind of fusion music the Indian people like,” adds Balwinder, who has also been giving music for his own albums.

Balwinder, who started his musical career at a professional capacity in UK in the year, 1990, has come a long way in the international market of Punjabi pop. “Music has always been in my genes as my father Gyan Singh, was a famous ragi in Kapurthala,” says the singer. But he honed his skills under his guru Jaswant Bhawra who taught him the fine points of Indian classical music He has recently been joined by his younger brother, Avtar Singh Safri, as a background singer.

So with his focus shifting towards the Indian market, we can expect to see Balwinder and his troupe more often on stage here. “We are trying to finish our previous commitments in London so that we can devote more time in India,” says Balwinder. His first lag of Indian saga will include performing in places like Delhi, Bhopal, Hyderabad, Ludhiana and Amritsar. during this visit the group will also record four videos for his forthcoming album.

Talking about his forthcoming album, Balwinder says he has taken a great deal of care in choosing the right lyrics to blend with the right kind of music that should entertain the listeners without distorting the true Punjabi culture. “The value of Punjabi folk is going down because there is no dearth of channels to feed the audience with unhealthy entertainment,” says the singer. “The scenario has gone so bad that even the people are mentally conditioned to accept easy songs with colourful presentation then going into the depth of melody,” he adds.

How does Balwinder see himself in the next five years? “I will still be in the scene an that too in a better shape”, replies this optimistic singer, who in the coming years would like to try his luck in playback singing for both Hindi and Punjabi feature films.

Wadali brothers at their usual best
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 1
It was an evening to remember for hundreds of people gathered at Rai Farms for the New Year Eve celebrations as the Wadali Bandhu enthralled them with their soulful, pure and true music.

Both Puran Chand and Pyare Lal Wadali were in their element and mesmerised the audience with their fusion of contemporary music-traditional lyrics sung in Sufiana style. The audience listened spellbound as they sang their popular songs like Ishq Na Hunda, Mehboob Na Hondi; Dahda Sek ishaq Di Agg Dal Baba ne Phar Layee Bhan; Saiyo Mein suhagan Hoyi; Tu Pir mera Mein Talab Tera as well as songs from Paigham-e-Ishq.

Commenting on the location, Puran Chand Wadali stated that “Hum to bas Rab se ley lagate hain. Isee mein hamey sukh milta hai. Aur yahaan (Rai Farms) mey itna sundar mahaul hai, ki ham Rab ke paas asani se mil gaye”. The Wadali Bandhu were as appreciative of the hundreds of people gathered there to listen to them. “Yahan ke log sangeet ko samajhte hain uar unme sunne ki chah hai.” The Wadali Bandhu started their performance at 8.30 pm. The scheduled two hours performance finally ended three-and-a-half-hours later, close to midnight, as the ecstatic crowds would not let the Wadali Bandhu go off the stage.

The lush green gardens of Rai Farms also reverbated to the 20,000 RMS foot stomping music by DJ Bijan & D. Gang, one of the most popular DJ’s of the region. Bijan and his gang set the dance floor on fire with their specially mixed tracks for the New Year bash. An exciting fireworks display at the stroke of midnight added to the glitz and glamour of the evening. To make the celebrations more memorable and romantic, special bonfires were laid out all over Rai Farms which created a cosy and warm atmosphere, and was much appreciated by the guests.

A blend of colours
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, January 1
Sanjeev Kumar’s series of “Impressionists and Post-Impressionists” is an attempt to capture a particular style of painting the world has seen through a window initiated by famous artists like Van Gogh and Saurets. The exhibition that displays about 30 of his paintings based on “Impressionist” style as well as those which bears the artists’ own signature were open for public viewing at IndusInd Art Gallery in Sector 8 here today.

Sanjeev’s works on landscapes show his excellent command over the medium. With perfect blending of colours the artist has captured a scene of sunrise and the rural Bengal that catches one’s immediate attention.

Sanjeev, who believes in “art for art’s sake”, has maintained a kind of purity in his works which is both serene and refreshing. A trait he learnt well during his graduation days from Rabindra Bharati days in Calcutta which was further enhanced by a master degree in fine arts from Vadodara in 1998.

Though Sanjeev has participated in a number of group exhibitions all over India, this “Impressionists and Post-Impressionists” is his third solo exhibition. The artist is currently engaged in doing a series of illustration works for Harivansh Rai Bachchan’s poetry collections, “Madhusala”, a project he bagged during his graduation days.

“I had done some illustration works on Mr Bachchan’s poetry as a final year project work which was later sent to him for his approval,” says Sanjeev.