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On the ISC Front
Lt Gen Kartar Singh
Education Front
The last three months have seen a lot of activities on the Education front. Students have been busy preparing for their examinations. Thereafter the bright ones have sat for various competitive examinations. Our coaching centres too have been very active in preparing our rural students for various examinations and competitions. In addition to this, we ran special coaching classes for desiring students in the Mukandpur rural area in Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics and Biology. Credit must be given to Professors/Teachers for volunteering to teach during the annual break. The ISC has suitably rewarded them. Students’ response has been great and we feel this ISC initiative has started paying back rich dividends. The strength in these classes has doubled, and attendance is now most regular with punctuality totally improved. Credit for this must go to Principal Atamjit Singh of ASSM Degree College, Head Master Sharma Ji who heads the School, our worthy and enthusiastic Co-ordinator Professor Narinder Singh Tuli and last, but not the least, the devoted Professors/Teachers.
The Khant Manpur Coaching Centre has shown good results. One of our students is amongst the toppers in class XII final examinations and the overall result of the school is excellent. We are in touch with other Sikh Organisations in co-ordinating the uplift of education in rural areas of Punjab. Members are requested to bring to our notice any particular rural area that needs urgent help on the education front.
Model Village Project
We are continuing with our efforts in improving the health, sanitation and uplift of education in village Sarkapra and other surrounding areas. Doctors are visiting this area every Tuesday with volunteers under ISC arrangements for Transport and Medicines. The villagers are benefitting immensely, and they now anxiously wait for our visits.
Ludhiana Chapter
Under the guidance of five giant workers, this Chapter of the ISC is doing outstanding work in Ludhiana city and the rural areas. These personalities are S. Karamjit Singh Aujla (Author of Loha & Agg), S Sukhdev Singh, S Arwinder Singh Nagpal (Famous Eye Surgeon), S Ajit Singh Arora (Xen Retd.) and S Harbhajan Singh Kohli (S E Retd). In fact they are a team of about twenty five active and enthusiastic volunteers who are on the prowl to help the public in various spheres such as education, village uplift, awareness regarding government grants to farmers and students, as well as help Sikligars and other needy members of the Sikh community through various other projects. Members of IOSS and ISC need to contribute to their ever improving monthly magazine Sewa Lehar in Punjabi script. Readers are requested not only to become members by paying just Rs.120/- per year for this monthly treasure, but also send donations to encourage them to achieve greater heights in their charitable schemes.
The Ludhiana Chapter, by its dint of devoted charitable acts, has persuaded various gurudwaras to support them in the uplift of education in Punjab’s villages. The ISC Convenor, Dr Sardara Singh Johl, has been a role model and motivator par excellence in this sphere. We are pleased to announce that at a very well organized and well attended function, the President Sarabha Nagar Gurudwara, Sardar Joginder Singh Nagpal, announced an annual contribution of 5 per cent of the Golak earnings towards education uplift. What a momentous decision this! We are quite confident that as the ISC sends out a central appeal to various other gurudwaras, this will take the shape of a mass movement for the uplift of education in backward areas. Many of our readers and members of the IOSS and the ISC are prominent members of Gurudwara Committees. We are confident that you will all join us in this precious mission.
Executive Committee Meetings
These are held regularly to exchange views and encourage suggestions from members in our efforts to enlarge our activities in various new spheres. Two such meetings were held on 23rd April 2009 and 13th Jan 2009. The agenda and minutes of these meetings are projected on our Website. We invite 30 to 40 additional members to these meetings so that we can elicit there views. Each time we invite members who can contribute their expertise to the subjects under discussion. These meetings have resulted in a lot of new thinking with regard to our line of action in the Religious, Social, Cultural, Legal and Educational spheres. Each meeting has examined critically our past actions in these spheres and formulated new strategy to be adopted as per the situation in the Sikh Jagat. As a result of this our members can expect greater expression of our opinions and projections in the press and media where it is warranted. The ISC is gradually gaining recognition in the Sikh Jagat, and Panthic organisations are constanly seeking our co-operation in tackling various issues that warrant our attention.
Nomination of Bibi Raj Mohinder Kaur (Mrs Dr Kharak Singh) as Patron
The Executive Committee, in it's meeting held on 23 April 2009, with seven out of ten members attending, unanimously approved the nomination of Bibi Raj Mohinder Kaur as Patron. She fulfils all conditions as per our Constitution. Bibi ji is a devoted and very respectful and active member of the ISC. The Contribution made by our highly respected late Convenor Dr Kharak Singh Ji and his family will be written in golden letters in the history and annals of the International Sikh Confederation.
Nomination of S Tarsem Singh Purewal as Life Member
S Tarsem Singh Purewal M.Sc. (Nuc. Engg.), MA (Public Administration) President of the International Energy & Environmental Associates, Ottawa, Canada, was invited to attend our EC meeting held on 23 April 2009. He expressed his willingness to become a permanent member of ISC. We are pleased to nominate him as Life Member on payment of Rs. 25,000.00, the prescribed fee as per our Constitution. Sardar Purewal, in addition, donated Rs. 25,000/- more to the Guru Nanak Education Fund (GNEF).
An Appeal To All Gursikhs And Members
Guru Nanak Education Fund
Our granting of scholarships to needy students is at present restricted to selected cases where these students have already obtained admission to Institutes of higher learning. Due to paucity of funds we are not able to help needy School and College students with special preference to rural areas. Many such applications are being received. We appeal to all readers of the Abstracts of Sikh Studies to please contribute liberally to the GNEF to allow us to help one and all. Please visit CEO, Lt Gen Kartar Singh Gill PVSM (retd), to satisfy yourself about the clinically honest utilization of this precious Fund. In fact you have free access to peruse the accounts, which are audited internally as well as by a registered Chartered Accountant.
Abstracts of Sikh Studies
The Quarterly journal, Abstracts of Sikh Studies was launched by the founding members, namely, S Daljit Singh, IAS, and Dr Kharak Singh as an organ of the Institute of Sikh Studies, Chandigarh. It has served useful purpose for more than ten years, providing thoughtful and highly accomplished studies in Sikh Philosophy, History and Theology. It has held fast to a policy of non-interference in factional politics and speaking out without fear or favour for the glory of Sikh tenets. The ‘Abstracts’ has built up an enviable reputation in the scholarly circles and is widely acknowledged for its mature and considerate views on matters of Panthic interest.
We would request all the Members of the ISC not only to become subscibers themselves but, as our well wishers, to join us in promoting the Abstracts by enrolling maximum number of subscribers among relatives and friends. It makes a presentable gift on any occasion. It can be preserved as a memorable collection for repeated study and reference.
In order to make it widely accessible to all, it is reasonably priced. Subscription Rates are as follows:
| |
Within India (per copy) |
For Abroad |
| For one year |
Rs. 100/- |
Rs. 700/- |
| For Five years |
Rs. 500/- |
Rs. 3,500/- |
| For Life |
Rs. 1,500/- |
Rs.10,000/- |
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