Dr. Ganda Singh Memorial Lecture

On the suggestion of Dr. Jaspal Singh, Vice-Chancellor of Punjabi University, the Department of Punjab Historical Studies is organizing "Dr. Ganda Singh Memorial Lecture" on its Foundation Day on September 16 at the Senate Hall.  According to Professor and Head of the department, Dr  Navtej Singh, the department was established on September 16, 1963 and Dr. Ganda Singh was appointed the first Head.  Recognising Dr Ganda Singh's contribution to the department and the Punjab History, the lecture will be a permanent annual feature.  The beginning is made by the lecture of a very eminent historian, Dr  Irfan Habib.  He will speak on 'Reconstructing the History of the Punjab'.  Dr Mohinder Singh, Director, Bhai Vir Singh Sahit Kendra, New Delhi will share the memories of Dr Ganda Singh. Dr Jaspal Singh, Vice-Chancellor of the University, will preside over.  Eminent historians of the region Dr S.S. Hans, Dr Kirpal Singh, Dr Madanjit Kaur*, *Dr M.S. Ahluwalia, Dr Pirthipal Singh Kapoor, Dr S.P. Singh, Dr K.L. Tuteja, Dr Surinder Singh, Dr G.S. Dhillon and others will be pariticpating in the function.  Three publications of the Punjab Historical Studies Department will also be released.

Pbi varsity to set up cell on envrionment awareness

Patiala, Sept 12- Punjabi University has planned to set up a consultancy cell to provide free consultancy service to make the people aware about the environment and render help in fighting threats of global warming and other pollution ingredients. This was stated by Dr Jaspal Singh, Vice-Chancellor of Punjabi University while inaugurating a seminar on "Global Warming", organised by the Department of Social Work, in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Public Administration, here today.

Asserting that the menace of environment pollution was the result of human callousness towards nature, he reiterated that the major source of ecological imbalance was greenhouse gases, emitted through the man-made appliances, including vehicles, air conditioners, refrigerators and micro waves which we use so indiscriminately in our daily lives. Global warming, he said, was leading to widespread agricultural failure, water shortages and major droughts, increased disease level, sea-level rise and the death of forests. Thus we are at the threshold, waiting for a catastrophe to happen, which would possibly lead to the   worst mass extinction in the planet's entire history, he added.  He underlined the need of minimizing the usage of fossil based fuel, electricity consumption by using energy efficient appliances, minimizing vehicular pollution by using the public transport system and using Clean Development Technologies like Wind Energy, Solar Energy, Bio Diesel and Hydro Power to reduce global warming.  Earlier, he released a book on "Violence" published by the Punjabi University.

Dr.  Manjit Singh, Dean College Development Council, highlighted that the global climate change has been accompanied by political conflicts all across the world. Over the past few centuries, most of the greenhouse gases in the atmosphere were discharged by developed countries but toward the end of the last century, some populous nations, such as China and India, have also joined the ranks of major greenhouse gas-discharging nations.

Dr M.S Saini, Dean, Academic Affairs, remarked that climate change will impact geopolitics and the wellbeing of nations. He asserted that natural disasters due to global warming see no national borders.  Global warming is the reason enough for all the nations to unite together, cutting across their monetary and territorial interests, to save our Earth from the Doom's day.
 

"Macbeth" portrays voice of silence

Patiala, Sept 12- Punjabi University's Department of Theatre and Television recorded a new chapter in its history by staging Shakespeare's "Macbeth" through symbols, images, body movements and gestures, sans dialogues, at the University Kala Bhawan here today. The play, directed by noted theatre director, Partho Banerjee aimed at bringing into proximity Gautam Buddha's pivotal statement that "desires were the root cause of all miseries, and that surrender to existence was the only way to salvation."

            Describing the performance par excellence, University's Vice-Chancellor, Dr Jaspal Singh said that it was comparable to any professional presentation of national standard. The play, atypical and offbeat in nature, as it carried alongwith it the voice of silence, will be staged in Delhi and other big cities of India, he said. The universality of the message, that the inner conflict embedded with various shades of dialectical materialism and the resultant pains and pangs, was enough to make the audience aware of its underlying overtones and connotations, he added. HoD, Dr Sunita Dhir disclosed that the play was the result of three-week workshop, conducted by Partho Banerjee. Another workshop was being started to give more and more practical exposure to the students, she said.

            The play portrayed with deft precision the natural instinct in human beings of craving for the unreachable and uncalled for in the form of the protagonist, Macbeth played by Harpreet Singh. He is convincingly and "suitably" instigated by the evil spirit in the guise of three witches added with coaxing by Lady Macbeth, Karamjit Kaur. The reality of meaninglessness of mundane desires dawns on Macbeth close to the end of the play when it is too late. The fate of Lady Macbeth ends no differently than Macbeth himself. Excellent use of lights (Daljit Dally and Harmit Singh), make-up (Lakha Lehri) and costumes (Sukhwinder Dimpy) filled the required gaps of upstaging and downstaging to hold the packed audience spellbound for full 50 minutes.
 

Books exhibition inaugurated

Patiala, Sept 5- Dr Jaspal Singh, Vice-chancellor of Punjabi University inaugurated a Book Exhibition, organised by the University's Department of Youth Welfare in collaboration with Sahitya Academy, here today. The exhibition, where the books will be available at half the original price, has been organised with the objective of inculcating awareness about reading literature among the students. Describing books as best friends during adverse condition, Dr Jaspal Singh said, they also tend to release great amount of tension among the readers. He exhorted the students to make reading of at least one book in a month as their permanent habit.

According to Dr Satish Kumar Verma, Director, Youth Welfare, more than 1,000 books have been displayed in the exhibition  as a part of vidyarthi cheta lehar, initiated by his Department.
 

Relief for flood victims

Rs 1,25,000 grant for Gurmat sangeet promotion

Patiala, Sept 5- The Punjab Minister for Cultural Affairs, Mr Hira Singh Gabrian announced a grant of Rs 1, 25,000 lakhs for the development of Gurmat Sangeet (Sikh divine music). While describing Gurmat Sangeet as the most potent power for human spiritual growth, Mr Bagrian declared to frame a special policy for the promotion of this exclusive form of folk and classical music.

            Mr Gabrian made these remarks while distributing prizes to the winners in the five-day Gurmat Sangeet Competitions, organised by the Punjabi University's Department of Gurmat Sangeet and Gurmat Sangeet Chair, here today.

            Speaking on the occasion, Vice-Chancellor, Dr Jaspal Singh said that Gurmat Sangeet was the most cogent and powerful way for the humans to be one with the almighty. It has all the celestial characteristics for enrichment of human souls, he said. Dr Gurnam Singh HoD of Gurmat Sangeet said that more than 400 participants and 126 teams participated in the competition.

            Gurdwara Bhaini Sahib won the first prize of Rs 21,000 in the Group Shabad singing competition in the senior category, followed by Gurmat Sangeet Academy, Ananadpur Sahib and Gutru Tegh Bahadur Khalsa College, Ananadpur Sahib. In the junior category, this honour was bagged by Mata Sahib Kaur  Girls senior Secondary School, Talwandi Sabo, whole the second and third positions were wrested by Gurmat Sangeet academy Sanaur and Sri Dasmesh Public School, Patiala. Seventeen participants won individual prizes in the String instruments, percussion categories and individual shabad singing competitions.
 

Pbi varsity takes out environment awareness march

Patiala, Sept 5- Continuing its crusade to make the Punjabi University Campus a pollution-free zone, the Punjabi University Environment Society (PUES), led by the University Vice-Chancellor, Dr Jaspal Singh took out a special "Environment Awareness" march around the University Campus here today. More than 500 University teachers, students, staff members, NSS volunteers, school children, Deans of various faculties and Heads of departments took part in the procession.
            Speaking on the occasion, Dr Jaspal Singh said that given the prevailing ever-increasing types of pollution, we are heading towards a catastrophe. "We need to be proactive and extra vigilant to save our planet from further degradation by making strenuous and sincere efforts. The
University, he said, stands by its commitment to make the campus smoke and polythene free in next two months.  Additional dustbins are being placed at vantage points for dumping the polythene carrybags being used by campus residents for their decimation and to avoid their recycling. More than 2,500 trees have already been planted, including a few medicinal plants, to enhance the hygienic and aesthetical environment of the campus, he added. The campaign, he said, would be carried to the University Regional Centres and Neighbourhood Campuses to widen its horizon.
            Dr Jagbir Singh, Convener of the PUES, said that all the Campus shopkeepers have been persuaded not to use polythene carrybags for supplying material for domestic use of campus residents. They will be supplied with good quality carrybags as an alternative for packing purposes, he said.  Special dumping pits are also being created to dispose off other waste material which could be used as manure, he added.
 

Patiala, Sept 4- Punjabi University, Patiala, will be transformed into a nerve-centre of Indian classical music. It will have its name embossed on the horizon of classical music with the launch of Bhai Mardana Classical Sangeet Sammelan on the pattern of internally acclaimed Harvallabh Sangeet Sammelan, to be held on the University campus from September 17 to 19. This will be followed by a Gurmat Sangeet Utsav to be held in the first week of October in which only noted classical vocalists will be invited for reciting the Sikh divine music.

This was stated by Dr Jaspal Singh, Vice-Chancellor of Punjabi University, while presiding over a function of releasing seven DVDs of singing of parhtaal gayaki (exclusive form of Sikh divine music recital) by 21 singers, organised by the University's Department of Gurmat Sangeet here today. Describing the recital of this exclusive form of divine music as a
path-breaking attempt, Dr Singh said that this will go a long way in transforming and establishing the singing of gurubani in its purest form. The University, he said, will make all out efforts for the furtherance of Gurmat Sangeet in every possible manner acknowledging it as its religious responsibility.
            An authority on Indian Classical music, Surinder Singh "Singh Bandhu" said that parhtaal gayaki was the most arduous and subtle form of singing even as it was the singular constituent of Guru Granth sahib. The effort of preserving this musical form in shape of recordings was a great task as it was dissolving into oblivion, he said.
            Dr Gurnam Singh, HoD of Gurmat Sangeet, said that the 21 singers of international repute have made this onerous task possible while the Finetouch Music Company has taken a "big risk" by recording this "unpopular" style of singing without caring for its commercial loss.

Fear of power failure to vanish

Patiala, Sept 4- Fear of power failure and the resulting agony, especially in summers, may not last long now with scholars in Punjabi University's Physics Department engaged in transforming solar cells into electrical energy, possessing the capacity, inter alia,  to charge inverter and other kinds of batteries. The project, "Preparation of Silicon Sheets by Capillary Action Shaping Technique (CAST) for Solar Cell Application" is being handled by Prof R.C. Verma, Professor in the Physics Department and Dean, Faculty of Physical Sciences, in collaboration with Prof V.K. Mittal, Dr Anup Thakur of Physics Department and Dr S.M.D Rao, an internationally renowned expert from Taiwan

 The Rs 80-lakh project has been assigned by the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India. Giving details of the project, Prof Verma and Dr Rao said that the solar cells provide 12 volts of electricity like a motor battery. The photovoltaic solar cells have the capacity to convert sunlight into electrical power which can be used for streetlights and household power supply. The technology of making photovoltaic solar cells is already available in the country, they said. The project is also aimed at developing new technology for preparing Silicon Sheets at much cheaper cost which would be used to fabricate solar cells because of much lower cost of labour and availability of cheaper raw material. "We will not only be able to produce solar cells for its domestic consumption but also for their export in substantial quantities", said Dr Verma and Dr Rao.

            The scholars said that the rural power consumers will be much benefited by this project where power supply relatively remains frequently interrupted and for much longer durations. Though the project has been assigned for three years, we are likely to wind it up within a year's time, they admitted.
 

Pbi varaity to hold environment awareness rally

Patiala, Sept 3- Punjabi University, Patiala, is organising an "environment awareness" rally on its campus on September 5 to mark the Teachers' Day celebrations. The rally is being held under the banner of Punjabi University Environment Society(PUES) in which Deans of various faculties, Heads of Department, University and School students will participate, which will be led by the Vice-Chancellor, Dr Jaspal Singh.

            The major objective of the rally is to make the campus polythene and smoke free zone. The PUES, led by its convener, Dr Jagbir Singh has launched a campaign to ensure that the University shopkeepers do not deliver goods in polythene carrybags. Posters have already been circulated among the shopkeepers and residents of the Campus to make them aware about the harm and damage that the polythene bags do to the human health.
 

Pbi varsity to set up "Punjabi Writers Home"

Patiala, Sept 3- Punjabi University has planned to set up a special "Punjabi Writers Home" on the campus with the objective of promoting and propagating Punjabi language, art and culture with added vigour and zeal. This was disclosed by Dr Jaspal Singh, Vice-Chancellor of the University while presiding over "Sant Singh Sekhon Memorial" seminar inm the Senate Hall here today. Punjabi language, he said, has all the characteristics to encompass larger frontiers and assimilate other languages and cultures.

            While talking about the visit of the National Accreditation and Assessment Council (NAAC) to the University, Dr Jaspal Singh said that the team had specifically pointed that that the University was carrying out its primary responsibility of furthering Punjabi in all its dimensions with full passion and larger responsibility, quantitatively and qualitatively.

            In his inaugural address, Mr Tarlochan Singh, Member, Parliament, said that Punjabi language was meeting a stepmotherly treatment at the hands of its own people. He made a fervent appeal to the Vice-Chancellor to make more efforts to encourage Punjabi authors to write more books for their publication by the Punjabi writers.  In his keynote address, noted Punjabi scholar, Dr Sutinder Singh Noor eulogized Sekhon for his forthrightness and clarity of thought. Dr Dhanwant Kaur, HoD of Punjabi Language Development, Dr Surjit Pattar, Dr Baldev Singh Cheema, and Dr Amarajit Grewal presented their papers.
 

Dr Saini appointed Dean, Academics

Patiala, Sept 3- Dr Jaspal Singh, Vice-Chancellor of Punjabi University, has appointed Dr M.S. Saini, Dean, Research, and Head, Department of Zoology as Dean, Academic Affairs of the University for a period of one year. Dr Sucha Singh Gill, former DAA, has been appointed Dean, Research in Dr Saini's place till June 30, 2009.

Patiala, Sept 3- The Vice-Chancellor of Punjabi University, Dr Jaspal Singh has constituted a high-powered committee under the Chairmanship of Dr Jodh Singh, Editor-in-Chief of Encyclopaedia of Sikhism for the proper upkeep and maintenance of the University's Museum and the invaluable manuscripts preserved there.  The other members of the committee are: Dr Gurcharan Singh (Dean, Faculty of Arts), Dr Gurnek Singh (Guru Granth Sahib Department of Religious Studies), Dr B.S. Cheema (Head, Dept of Punjabi), Prof Jaswinder Singh (Professor, Punjabi Dept), Dr Joga Singh (Linguistics), Dr Paramvir Singh (Religious Studies), Dr Saroj Bala (Librarian), and Dr Saroj Sharma (Director, Museum & Art Gallery).
 

SGPC deplores sikh raagis

Patiala, Sept 1- Mr Avtar Singh, President of the Shiromani Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee, while accepting the fact the SGPC has not been able to properly propagate the recital of Gurubani (Sikh divine music) in ragas as prescribed in Guru Granth Sahib on string instruments in the Golden temple, made a fervent appeal to raagis (Sikh religious singers) to help sustain the purity of this exclusive form of music. Mr Avtar Singh made these remarks while inaugurating the five-day Gurmat Sangeet Competition, being organised by the Punjabi University's Department of Gurmat Sangeet at Kala Bhawan here today.

            Mr Avtar Singh also deplored the practice of exploiting the exposure and platform, given to the raagis reciting kirtan (divine music) at Golden Temple through live telecast, for making foreign lands as their 'rendezvous'. He promised to introduce Gurmat Sangeet as a subject in
schools, colleges and other institutions, run by the SGPC. He also announced a grant of Rs 11 lakhs for the Gurmat Sangeet Department and Rs one lakh for the participants in the five-day competition.

            While presiding over the function, Dr Jaspal Singh, Vice-Chancellor, of Punjabi University, declared that the University would organise a big conference to mark the tercentenary celebrations of the guruta gaddi divas. Competitions and seminars will also be held at all its regional centres and neighbourhood campuses. The University will make every effort, in coordination with SGPC, to propagate the divine message of Guru Granth Sahib among the masses.
            While thanking Mr Avtar Singh for having implemented the practice of recital of kirtan on string instruments at Golden Temple, Dr Gurnam Singh, HoD of Gurmat Sangeet Department, said that about 200 students were participating in various level competitions. The competitions are being held in individual and group shabad recital and performance on string instruments, he said.