Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Jan 20: Cabinet Sub-Committee on creation of new administrative units, which met here this afternoon under the chairmanship of Deputy Chief Minister, Tara Chand, discussed representations of four districts.
Sources said that CSC discussed representations received from cross section of society in Jammu, Samba, Udhampur and Kathua districts during one and half hour long meeting, which was attended by all its members.
The Cabinet Sub-Committee will discuss the representations received from other districts tomorrow, sources added.
CSC discusses representations
Poonchi asks Congmen to support Omar
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Jan 20: Veteran Congress leader Mir Ghulam Mohammad Poonchi, popularly known as Mir Poonchi today said the Congress should support Chief Minister Omar Abdullah in case he faces any problem while running Government in the State.
Speaking during the release of his autobiography `Yadoon Ki Sughat’ by the Chief Minister here this afternoon, Mr Poonchi said he was an old Congressman and can never think of leaving the party.
Addressing from the chair as he was unable to stand, the veteran Congress leader said his party should support Omar whenever there is any problem to the Government.
“Just like Devender Singh Rana (NC provincial president and former Political Advisor to Omar) helps the Chief Minister in the hour of crisis, the Congress leader should also support Omar in the similar manner,” Mir Poonchi said.
On his part, Omar said Mir Poonchi has worked with his grand father and he too would like to work with him if he desired.
Tendulkar to mentor next generation cricketers
Excelsior Sports Correspondent
New Delhi, Jan 20: Indian cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar will mentor 11 emerging players, including Parvez Rasool, Unmukt Chand and Vijay Zol, as part of an initiative by sports apparel giant Adidas.
Adidas, which has already signed up Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Suresh Raina added some more names to its roster.
Tendulkar welcomed the newest members of team Adidas–Unmukt Chand, Parvez Rasool, Vijay Zol, Manan Vohra, Manpreet Juneja, Rush Kalaria, Chirag Khurana, Akshdeep Nath, Vikas Mishra, Sarfaraz Khan and Aparajith Baba.
“This is a great initiative from Adidas to support the future of this sport, which encourages aspiring athletes to follow their passion and be part of an extraordinary league. Mentoring these talented young cricketers will let me be close to what I love and give back to the sport,” Tendulkar, who retired from international cricket last year, said at the event.
The 21-year-old Unmukt, is former Captain of the 2012 Under-19 World Cup champion team and played for the Delhi Daredevils in IPL this year.
Rasool, 24, is the first Jammu and Kashmir cricketer to represent the Indian senior team. He captained his State team to the Ranji trophy knock-out phase this year.
“To be part of the team mentored by cricketing icon Sachin Tendulkar is simply ‘a dream come true’ for me and my selection among the top 11 emerging players of the Country is an ecstatic rather a blissful moment for me, my family and all my well wishers.”
This was expressed by Jammu and Kashmir Ranji Trophy skipper, Parvez Rasool Zargar while talking to EXCELSIOR on his selection among top emerging cricketers of India to be part of Adidas group.
“Sachin ‘Paaji’ is my all-time favourite cricketer. So, it smacks an amazing feeling to be part of the group that will be bestowed tips by cricketing genius Sachin Tendulkar and receiving tips from him is a great honour.” added Rasool.
Students of JK Montessorie excel
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Jan 20: Students of JK Montessorie Senior Secondary School Jammu excelled in the “Essay Writing Competition” held in collaboration with “Tata Group of Companies” in School premises, here today.
A large number of volunteers drawn from different Schools participated in the competition. The competition was held at two levels of junior and senior.
The participants were required to write an essay comprising of 300 to 500 words in English language within a given time.
In junior level, Pallavi Sharma of class 9th won gold medal at District level. While Muskan Luthra, Prabhat Sharma, Himanshu Rajput, Youganshi Sharma, Pallavi khajuria also bagged gold, silver and bronze medal.
In senior level, Shivantika Gupta of class 12th won gold medal at school level.
Managing Director of the institute, Sanjeev Gupta while lauding the efforts of the students said that the objective of the competition was to make students proficient in the skill of writing and develop their thinking and reasoning power.
Bulls Eye organizes Inter-College Scholarship Test
Excelsior Sports Correspondent
JAMMU, Jan 20: Under the scholarship drive Bulls Eye Jammu, organized the Inter-College Scholarship Test at Gandhi Nagar study centre, here today.
Over 1800 students from 9 colleges all over Jammu region appeared in the first phase of Test from which first 10 students from every college participated for the Inter-College Scholarship Test.
Around 70 students appeared in this Test, which was divided into three sections quant, data and verb consisting of 45 questions.
After the compilation of result the free scholarship was announced for the students who performed exceptionally in the test.
On the occasion, Aakash Deep Singh Director Bulls Eye Jammu, emphasized the importance of aptitude tests in today’s competitive world and said the students get the practical experience of the process of the examination by conducting these awareness programmes.
Akash Bhagat from MAM College bagged first position, while Sahiba Bashir form GCW Gandhi Nagar won second spot and the third position was claimed by Mohit Mahajan from IMS College. The toppers received a cash prize of Rs 5000, 4000 and 3000 respectively.
The occasion concluded with the certificate distribution, wherein the management and staff of Bulls Eye lauded the efforts of the students for their active participation in the Test.
Sports Council Employees Union projects demands
Excelsior Sports Correspondent
JAMMU, Jan 20: Jammu and Kashmir State Sports Council Employees Union held its 39th General Body Meeting, under the chairmanship of its president Vikramjeet Singh, here today.
The meeting among others was attended by a large number of coaches and the members unanimously decided to merge Coaches Employees Union with J&K State Sports Council Employees Union.
The meeting projected the demands which included implementation of Government Employees Pension Scheme in favour of the Council employees, regularization of casual labours, proper transfer and promotion policy, stoppage of harassment to Council employees, release of 6th Pay Commission arrears and release of pending class IV promotion list.
Prominent among others who attended the meeting were Iqbal Singh, Vijay Choudhary, Ashok Singh, Gopal Dass, Satish Gupta, Sat Paul Singh, Shakatish Chopra, Arshi Nad, Manisha Gupta, Ritika Slathia, Suraj Bhan Singh, Inderpal Singh and Arshid Hussain.
SVO nabs official taking graft
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Jan 20: The State Vigilance Organisation (SVO) today caught red-handed a senior Supervisor of J&K Khadi and Village Industries Board (KVIB) while accepting Rs 5000 worth graft money from a complainant for processing his loan case.
SSP Vigilance Organisation, Jammu, Rupinder Chalotra said the SVO teams nabbed Deedar Singh, a Senior Supervisor at the KVIB soon after he took Rs 5000 from Parveen Kumar son of Rattan Lal of Gajansoo.
Singh had been demanding Rs 50,000 for processing the loan case of Parveen Kumar. This was the first installment, which Mr Kumar handed over to Singh when he was apprehended in a trap laid by the Vigilance team in the presence of Magistrate and independent witnesses.
Deedar Singh has been taken into custody. The graft amount was recovered from him. He has been lodged in the Vigilance Organisation’s police station. The operation was conducted under supervision of DySP, V K Bhat and the raiding team comprised Inspector Rajesh and Zafar. The case has been entrusted to Inspector Kamal Sangra for investigation.
A case FIR No. 4/2014 has been registered against him under relevant Sections of law by the Vigilance Organisation.
Naqaib Rangmanch stages Kashmiri play ‘Faraz’
Lalit Gupta
JAMMU, Jan 20: Naqaib Rangmanch presented Kashmiri play ‘Faraz’, as eighth production of ongoing annual drama festival organized by Jammu and Kashmir Academy of Art, Culture and Languages, at Government College for Women auditorium, here today.
Written by Soom Nath and directed by Vinod Chopra and Daisy Naqaib, Faraz was a topical play that highlighted multiple issues and problems being faced by people of Kashmir. The play started with conversation between two narrators; Nadeema who wants to settle aboard work for women empowerment while Aftaab, the idealist, reiterates teachings and sacrifices of Gurudev Rabindranath, Mahatama Gandhi, Bhagat Singh. He in light of current situations urges Nadeema to contribute in building the nation anew.
During their conversation, the major issues facing Kashmiris appear one after the other as characters and situations. These included ‘Mauj Kashir’-the mother Kashmir, who laments the migration of her children and the threat to unity of motherland. Second, was about the character of ‘wife’, Mirnal, the third being menace of corruption and the last was tragic tale and subsequent suicide by the ‘rape victim’, Tasleema.
Shashi Naqaib in roles of Mauj Kashmir, Mirnal, Bimla Naqaib as Tasleema gave impactful performances. Sameer Qasba as Aftaab, Meena Peer Nadeema, Rasmesh Kumar Koul as Javed, Sahil Pandit as Mohudin, Kusum Kaul as Lady and Suresh Chauhan as Rishi also acted well. Live background music by Deepak and songs by Suresh Chauhan supported the emotive situations well. The sparkling white dress of ‘Mauj Kashmir’ including ‘tarang’, very well succeeded in giving a traditional look as well as somberness to the character. The costumes of other characters were also appropriate. Make-up was by Bimla Naqaib, sets by Rakesh Kumar and lights by Raj Kumar Bhat. Ajay Kumar was the assistant director.
Tomorrow, ‘Pancham’ is going to present Markand Desh Pandey’s Hindi drama ‘Kasturi’ under direction of Gurmeet Jamwal.
2 residential houses gutted
Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Jan 20: Two residential houses were damaged in fire on Sunday evening.
A police spokesman said fire broke out in the joint residential house of Mushtaq Ahmad Dar and Bashir Ahmad Dar sons of Ghulam Mohammad Dar of Ram Bagh which engulfed the adjacent house of Javaid Ahmad Sofi son of Abdul Rehman.
Both houses were partially damaged.
One held with over 350 pouches of illicit liquor
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Jan 20: Police today seized large quantity of illicit liquor pouches and nabbed a bootlegger in holy town Katra.
Additional SP Katra Kulbir Singh told that on specific inputs, police team from Katra police station conducted a raid in a house at Ward No 10.
During the raid, police recovered around 11 cartoons filled with over 350 pouches of illicit liquor, Singh added.
“The accused identified as Sunny Singh, son of Hem Raj of Ward No 10, Katra managed to escape from the spot but was chased and nabbed by the police team, ASP said.
A case under Excise Act has been registered against the accused at Katra police station and investigation started.