Nominations for state awards
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, August 11
Six teachers from government and aided schools in the district have sent their names for state awards to be presented on September 5 this year. Those who have forwarded their names to the Education Department include Ms Kusum Lata, science mistress, Government Model Senior Secondary School, Punjab Agricultural University, Mr Krishan K. Joshi, Vice Principal, Nauhria Mal Jain Senior Secondary School, Bharat Nagar, Ms Darshan Shukla, Principal of Girls’ Senior Secondary School, Khanna, Mr Gurdev Singh, lecturer, Senior Secondary School, Jalal Dival village, Ms Surinder Kaur, headmistress, Government High School, Jandi village, and Mr Harbans Singh, art and craft teacher at Government Senior Secondary School, Tahli Sahib.

Mr Bachitar Singh, District Education Officer (secondary), said that the selection of the teachers would be made after a team from the Education Department visits all the schools.

Tiny tots celebrate ‘saawan’
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, August 4
Tiny tots of Swiss International Public School (SIPS), Model Town, celebrated ‘saawan’ at a function held here today. Girls came clad in beautiful ethnic salwar kameez, heavy dupattas and jewellery rendering colour and liveliness to the atmosphere. Boys adorned turbans matching with their kurta pyjama. Children danced to the beats of dhol. They danced to the music of their favourite songs like ‘Megha re megha’ from Lamhe, ‘Ghanan ghanan’ from Lagaan and “Aa gayee re rut chha gayee re” from 1947 Earth.

Extensive flower arrangements were done all around the school with well-decorated swings, earthen pots, water rangoli, phulkari dupattas and traditional bangles, all of which gave exuberance to the festive mood. A model of village scene made out of wrought iron was displayed to explain the children about the importance of ‘saawan’ in rural life.

Finally, children were judged on the basis of their performances and dress-up. Gobind and Harleen excelled in dance performances. Jaswin and Asses Sodhi were declared ‘Master Saawan’. ‘Miss Saawan’ title was shared by Jasmine and Safa on the basis of their overall performances. Ishika and Inayat bagged prizes for enacting a Punjabi play.

Children were then served traditional maalpura and kheer. Ms Daisy Pruthi, Principal, told the children that as per the Hindu calendar, fifth month of the year was called ‘saawan’ that observed the beginning of monsoon. She said a number of festivals like Haryali, Teej, Jhumar Yatra, Rakhsha Bandhan and Nag Panchmi were celebrated in the month.

New session begins at engineering college
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, August 11
The new academic session for fresh students of BTech commenced at Guru Nanak Engineering College, Gill village, here today. Col. D.S. Grewal, Principal, addressed the students as well as their parents in the morning. He welcomed them all and told them about various facilities available in the college.

He also discussed various rules and regulations. The students were then introduced to the head of the departments of the college and other members of the faculty.

Addressing the students, Mr Mahesh Inder Singh Grewal, Secretary of Nankana Sahib Education Trust, urged the students to work hard.

Mr Ajmer Singh Lakhowal, Vice-President, discussed the history of the college.

Paper-reading contest on Vivekananda
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, August 11
Students of New Senior Secondary School, Sarabha Nagar, participated in an inter-house paper-reading contest organised in the memory of Swami Vivekananda here today.

The function started with the lighting of lamp and the singing of Vande Mataram. As many as 20 students from Classes IX to XII took part in the contest.

The students highlighted the achievements of Swami Vivekanand during his life time in different fields. Simranjit Kaur of Tagore House bagged the first prize. Aman Sehgal of Laxmi Bai House won the second prize. Satbir Kalsi of Tagore House got the third prize. Richa Dhingra of Laxmibai House got the first consolation prize. Palwinder Kaur and Hardeep Chander won consolation prizes.

The participants were given a certificate of participation. The Deputy Director-cum-Principal, Mr H.C. Gupta, also apprised the students about the life and wrks of Swami Vivekananda.

Painting contest for children
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, August 4
As a part of a nationwide painting contest launched by Hindustan Lever Limited, a painting contest would be held at BCM Arya Model Senior Secondary School, Shastri Nagar, tomorrow.

Children of the age group four to 12 years would be allowed to participate and paint their dreams. The contest ‘Colour your future’ would be anchored by Ms Shweta of Prerna fame from ‘Kasuati zindagi ki’.

Mr Sanjay Behl, marketing manager of the HLL, said the contest would be organised for a period of three months. He said there would be one mega winner each month who would receive a cash prize of upto Rs 5 lakh that would be put into deposits and redeemable at the age of 18 for education abroad. In addition, there would be four other winners receiving Rs 1 lakh every month, making it a total of 15 winners for the duration of three months.

CULTURE

Sahir forgotten in his city
Vimal Sumbly
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, August 11
The great Urdu poet Sahir Ludhianvi has made the city immortal by suffixing its name with his pen name. Thus wherever there is a mention of Sahir, the name of Ludhiana is bound to be mentioned. But the Ludhianvis remain callously indifferent to this great son and the symbol of the soil.

When Sahir attended the Golden Jubilee celebrations of the Government College here in November 1970, where he had studied, in a spontaneous outflow of emotions he presented a poem that was full of nostalgia and also reflected his deep and everlasting love for Ludhiana. The poem read, "nazar karta hoon in fizaoon ki, apni rooh, apna dil aur apna kalam...

naam mera jahan jahan pahuncha, sath pahuncha is dayar ka naam...

main yahan mezbaan bhi, mehmaan bhi, aap jo chahain dijye mujhe naam".

About a decade ago the then Mayor of Ludhiana, Chaudhary Satya Prakash, had publicly announced at an official function that the road between the Fountain Chowk and Rose Garden would be named Sahir Ludhianvi Road. A signboard was also put up at the Fountain Chowk. But it no longer exists there now. Most of the present day residents are unaware of the fact that the Government College Road is actually Sahir Ludhianvi Road.

Even the municipal council signboard at the Fountain Chowk describes it as 'College Road' only.

Probably Sahir had a premonition about all these things when he wrote in one of his poems "masroof zamana mere liye kyoon waqt apna barbad kare".

While scores of statues and memorials of different people are dotting different parts of the city, there is hardly any memorial of Sahir. Although initiatives were taken from time to time in this regard, but these were just half hearted attempts lacking seriousness.

During the time of Mr Beant Singh, it was decided to set up a Sahir Memorial. But the project was scrapped later and Rs 60 lakh sanctioned for the purpose were returned to the Department of Cultural Affairs. The site earmarked for the memorial by the Improvement Trust, Ludhiana, was utilised for setting up a commercial complex. However, Sahir might have not had any regrets regarding this as he had written:

"Kaun jane mere imroz ka farda kya hai, qurbatein barh ke pashaiman bhi ho jati hain, dil ke daaman se lipat ti huyi rangeen nazrein dekhte dekhte anjan bi ho jaati hain".