400 participate in Aao Bune contest
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, October 10
Over 400 students from 28 schools participated in Vardhman Aao Bune Knitting Contest held at Sacred Heart Convent School here yesterday. Television star and Vardhman Brand Ambassodor Ms Shewta Tiwari aka Prerna of the serial Kasuti Zindgi Ki was the guest of honour. Ms Shakun Oswal and Mr V.K. Goyal, Chief Executive, Vardhman Spinning & General Mills Ltd were also present.

The Vardhman Group has been promoting the art of knitting, for which they have started at the grass roots, by organising a series of competitions at school level. Knitting helps in intellectual development of children and improves their concentration levels . It also helps in relieving stress and has psychological effects of meditation.

As many as 28 schools had participated in the competition. The contest went on for three hours. The students had participated in five categories. During the competition, the children had knitted caps, bags, booties and knitted beautiful patterns. 10 best patterns from each category have been short listed for the final evaluation when state level winners will be decided in Ludhiana by a panel of Judges in January 2005. Over 10,0000 students countrywide are expected to participate

CULTURE

Heera shines in Punjabi theatre
Lovleen Bains

Doraha, October 10
Sompal Heera has created waves in Punjabi theatre and transformed it into a vehicle of reform from an instrument to satisfy the passions of onlookers. He is firm at bringing a radical change in the “perverted socio-economic setup'' and aims at exposing its unscrupulous nature through his moral and “clean enactments.''

The world is a stage for Sompal Heera who has won numerous awards and titles for his commendable roles played at all times every where.

He has been attached to Punjabi theatre since 1993 and after that there has been no looking back for him. He has written a playbook “Pannian Di Parwaz''.

To date, he has participated in 300 plays and given direction to 600 actors and actresses. He has recently written, directed and acted the main cast in the video film “Jago". He has also prepared documentary movies.

Sompal won the "Heera Honour'' by S.S.S.S. Badundi and Harpal Tiwana Award. The district youth award for 2003-04 was presented to him by the Nehru Yuva Kendra Organisation, Ludhiana .

The “best actor'' award was won by him in 1998 through All-India Maha Shakti Kalamandir, Barnala. He was declared the “best-monoactor'' by Maha Shakti Kalamandir. In 1999, he was declared “Best Actor'' by the kalamandir and “Best Director'' by Punjab School Education Board, Mohali.

Also in 2000, he won the award of “Best Writer'' and “Best Actor''. His drama was placed on the top position in the Faridkot National Drama Festival. He became the “Shromani Performer'' in 2002, and 2003.

He has directed and enacted various roles in the Bheesam Sahni's play, “Tamas'', Dr Atamjit's “Rishtian Da Ke Rakhiye Naan'', Gursharan Singh's “Chandani Chowk Ton Sirhand Tak'', and “Dhamak Nagare Di'', Pali Bhupinder's “Jadon Mein Sirf Ik Aurat Hundi Han'', “Uss Nu Kahin'', “Mitti Da Bawa'' and “Sirjana'', Anil Bawe's “Thank you Mr Glad'', Sawdesh Deepak's “Kaal Kothri'', Prof Ajmer Singh Aulakh “Chanan De Pani'', and “Gani'', Surinder Narula's “Sarhadan'', Bhagwan Dhillon's “Neero Di Bansari'' and Gurdial Singh Phull's “Asin Doon Sawaye Hoye''.

Sompal Heera has no godfather. His achievements are purely due to his intense labour and obsession for this art form. He aims at bringing this art form at the doors of the public by organising regular street shows.

He dramatises symbolically various social ills and evils eating in the society as female foeticide, drug addiction, dowry menace, drinking and gambling, illicit relations and extra-marital affairs, purposelessness and lack of social order and artificiality in modern living standards.

He believes that the social reform ushered through the mode of enactment, carries an everlasting impact not only on the “perverted minds'' but also on the tender thoughts that are yet to form their steady impressions about life and fix their ultimate goals.

Heera feels that the constructive thoughts and pure feelings generated through this genre, can make this world a better place to live in. 

Fashion show held
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, October 10
Saturday night fever gripped residents of the city as a 4,000-strong crowd assembled at the Satluj Club where a fashion show was organised by the Club. A pleasant night and colourful lights provided the right ambience for models to appear.

Models came dressed in off-shoulder gowns and other evening and casual dresses. They displayed soft innerwear too. In between the rounds, lively colourful dances were presented by a troupe. The audience cheered the group.

A novel feature of this competition was that beauty parlours were invited to dress up models as brides. Amandeep, Satwinder and Sukhwinder won the competition.

Mr Anurag Verma, Deputy Commissioner, and his wife Shewta Verma were the chief guests.