MSU Receives Rare Manuscripts: Pune-based renowned astrophysicist professor Jayant Narlikar has donated a rare collection of Sanskrit manuscripts to the Oriental Institute of MS University. Narlikar’s forefathers were renowned Sanskrit scholars in Kolhapur (Maharashtra). Some of the manuscripts are over 200 years old and are related to diverse subjects in Sanskrit literature.

Fire Brigade Officer To Train In Netherlands: A senior station fire officer of the Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC), Mr. H. Tapadia, has been included in the 17-member team selected by the Gujarat State Disaster Management Authority for a special month-long training programme, designed to handle natural calamities, conducted by the International Center For Emergency Techniques (ICET) in Netherlands. Tapadia left for Netherlands on Wednesday for the month-long programme. He will be the co-ordinator for the team, which includes fire brigade personnel, doctors and police officers.

Natika Utsav: Akshay Kala Mandal presents ‘Do Ekanki Natika Utsav’ featuring national award winning one-act plays – ‘Spinning the Yarn’ and ‘Karta Bhi Diwana Bharata Bhi Diwana’ at the General Education Auditorium, MS University. October 1, 7.30 p.m. onwards.

Navratri Related Exhibition: Self-employed entrepreneurs will organise an exhibition cum sale of Navratri related jewellery, clothes and accessories. Aditi Art Gallery. September 28-29, 10a.m. to 10 p.m.

Retirement Planning: A one-day workshop on September 29 at Express Hotel. Conducted by Professor J.N. Mamtora. The topics: health planning, financial planning, management of surplus time, how to develop a positive attitude to life, second career, etc.

Mexican Food Festival: Mirch Masala. September 28 onwards.

26-09-02

Precautions Continue: A bandh has been called on Thursday to protest the terrorist attack on the Swaminarayan Temple in Gandhinagar. To ensure that disturbances do not take place, army columns have moved into Godhra, Dahod and Vadodara to assist the local police in maintaining law and order. Vadodara has received three columns of the army and one company of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF). Schools have been closed for the day and all shops and many commercial establishments have decided not to remain open. It is hoped that there will be no untoward incidents and peace will prevail.

25-09-02

Security Tightened In Baroda: After the terrorist attack on the Swaminarayan Temple in Gandhinagar, security arrangements were stepped up substantially in several parts of Gujarat, including Baroda. Entry points to the city were closely monitored and police patrolling has been strengthened within the sensitive areas. Additional police personnel have been deployed at all Swaminarayan temples in Gujarat, including the Vadtal Swaminarayan temple in Anand district and the Swaminarayan temple at Atladara in Vadodara. Community and political leaders all over Gujarat have appealed to people to maintain the peace. Baroda has reported no untoward incidents. Normal life goes on, and even the schools remained open on Wednesday.

24-09-02

Uneasy Peace: Following the fresh outbreak of disturbances on the last day of Ganeshotsav, stray incidents of stone-pelting and clashes were reported in the city on Monday and Tuesday. But relatively prompt police action prevented the violence from spreading. To be on the safe side, heavy security bandobast has been made in sensitive areas and night patrolling has been intensified.

NRI Parents Meet: The Non-Resident Parents Association will hold its third meeting on September 28 at 4.30 p.m. at Hotel Surya, Sayajigunj. Parents of NRIs who wish to join as members may ring up 331846, 391562 or 462340 before September 26.

Workshop For Hearing Impaired Children: Akshar Center began a two-day workshop pertaining to hearing impaired children on Monday. The workshop is being held with support from the Rehabilitation Council of India. The team of participating experts includes Dr. Bharatiben Modi from MS University’s Linguistics Department, audiologist Dr. Falguni and ENT surgeon Dr. P.N Saini.

Water Conservation Techniques: Heritage Trust began on Monday a 5-day workshop to teach school children traditional methods of water conservation. The venue is apt – the Navlakhi Vav (step-well) on the grounds of the Laxmi Vilas Palace. Everyday two hundred students from 18 schools in Baroda will listen to lectures from architects, archaeologists, art historians and craftspersons, who will explain traditional water conservation practices such as building reservoirs, creating lakes and sinking wells. The workshop is being funded by the water and sanitation programme of the World Bank.

Sanskrit Speaking Course: The next batch of the course conducted by Simple Sanskrit Speaking Centre will begin on 25th September. Those interested should contact Baroda Sanskrit Mahavidyalaya, MS University, between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m.

Meteor Astronomy: The Amateur Astronomers’ Association of Vadodara, in association with Sardar Patel Planetarium, will organise the second batch of the certificate course in Meteor Astronomy from September 30 at the planetarium. Students may register at the venue before 26th September between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m.

Play: ‘Tame Mane Gamo Chho’. Gandhinagar Gruh. 24-25 September, 9.30 p.m. Starring Dipak Gheewala and Ragini.

21-09-02

Peace Takes A Pause: On Friday, 20th September, the last day of the 10-day Ganeshotsav, three persons were killed and about 24 injured when violence re-surfaced in Vadodara. Trouble began with an incident in the Fatehpura area in the afternoon. By 6.30 p.m. the disturbances had spread to Nawabwada, Machhipith, Raopura, Nagarwada, Champaner Gate, Chokhandi Gate and Yakutpura. The violence largely affected the old city areas, leaving the other areas – Alkapuri, Race Course, Gotri, Gorwa, Vasna, Tandalja, Makarpura, Manjalpur, Waghodia, Ajwa, etc. – unaffected though uneasy.

17-09-02

Cricket Association Elections: Kiran More led his panel to a convincing victory over the panel led by former BCCI secretary J.Y. Lele at the Baroda Cricket Association (BCA) elections on 15th September. The winners: Chirayu Amin (president), G.M. Oza and N. Chandar (vice-presidents), Kiran More and Samarjitsinh Gaekwad (honorary secretaries), and Rakesh Parikh (treasurer).

16-09-02

Kalidas Samman: The prestigious Kalidas Samman, given to artists for their outstanding contribution to the world of arts, has been conferred this year on Baroda’s internationally renowned painter Gulam Mohammed Sheikh. The city’s eminent painter Bhupen Khakhar has also received this award in the past. The award has been instituted by the Madhya Pradesh government.

Russian Studies: A three-day national seminar on Russian studies and Indo-Russian interactions will be held in February-March 2003 to commemorate 50 years of the Russian Language Department at the MS University.

13-09-02

Japanese City Commissions Dhruva Mistry: Baroda based sculptor Dhruva Mistry recently got the commission for a Rs. 10 million granite sculpture – ‘Goddess of Love’ – on a seafront site in Tamano city, Japan. Tamano is a port town that has one of Japan’s finest beaches and is a stop for many luxury cruisers. The 2.5-meter-high sculpture will face the seafront, with the chiselled lady glancing back towards the town. He has already made a working model of the commissioned sculpture; it will be carved out in its final form in China. Misty was Professor of Sculpture & Dean, MSU Faculty of Fine Arts. He did his post-graduation from the Fine Arts Faculty. He had gone to the Royal College of Art in London on a British Council Scholarship in 1981 and returned to India in 1997. The sculpture will be unveiled in December.

Baroda’s Changing Face: Heritage Trust, Friends of Museum and the Baroda Museum & Picture Gallery have organised an exhibition of photographs on ‘Vadodara: The Changing Face of a City, 1899-1986’ at the Exhibition Hall of the museum at Sayajibaug. The photographs of old Baroda were sourced by Heritage Trust from glass negatives from the India Office Library, London, in 1986. That same year Heritage Trust commissioned photographer Girish Khatri to take pictures of the same location from the same angles to present the change in the urban landscape over a little less then a century. Now the Trust has revitalised the exhibition digitally as a lot of the photographs had got spoilt. The exhibition will be from September 13 to 30, 2002, between 10.00 a.m. and 6.00 p.m.

Raoji Patel Passes Away: Raoji Patel (90), MS University’s retired Mathematics professor passed away on 12th September. Fondly called Motabhai in the academic community, he had written two books on Calculus, one of which, ’ Introduction to Elementary Calculus’, was referred in Harvard University and translated into Spanish as well. Professor Patel was the first president of Baroda University Teachers’ Association (BUTA). He was also associated with the Radical Humanists Movement in Baroda.

Flowers In The Wilderness: Sarjan Art Gallery has organised a group exhibition of rare works by nine Gujarati artists: Ravishanker Raval, Rasiklal Parikh, Somalal Shah, Kanu Desai, Kumar Mangalsinhji, Vasudeo Smart, Chhaganlal Jadav, Chandra Trivedi, Khodidas Parmar. The exhibition is titled ‘Wilderness transformed into a flower garden – Renaissance of Art in Gujarat’. It will be inaugurated by eminent Gujarati author Professor Sitanshu Yashaschandra on 15th September. The chief guest will be Khodidas Parmar, the only living painter from among the nine exhibiting painters. The exhibition will continue till 28th September. To commemorate the occasion, Sarjan has published a monograph, ‘Renaissance of Art in Gujarat’, by art historian Professor Ratan Parimoo.

Book Launch: Arun C. Vakil, author and expert on various aspects of America will launch his latest book ‘Gateway to America 2002’ at Crossword on September 15. The book is a guide for visitors, businessmen, students and immigrants to the USA giving general information and visa regulations.

12-09-02

Do You Think That MSU’s Arts Faculty Dome Should Be Illuminated? MS University’s Arts Faculty dome – the second-largest dome in India – is magnificent by day but obviously not quite visible at night. So plans are on to illuminate it at night. It seems that Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) will bear the cost of over Rs. 780,000 for the equipment and installation, and MSU will in return allow LIC to display its logo appropriately. Pioneer Philips Lighting – who have experience with similar work at the city’s Khanderao Market, Kolkata’s Victoria Memorial Mumbai’s Churchgate Station, etc. – will provide the design and equipment. The annual electricity cost may be around Rs. 400,000, and Gujarat Electricity Board (GEB) may be asked to charge a lower rate. Some people may wonder whether nature should thus be frustrated. Why not admire the dome by day and let the dome continue to have its daily dose of privacy? After all, the night does have its reasons.
Lekin, aap raat ko agar din kaho to din kahenge!
What do you think? Please submit your response.

Sangramsinh Challenges Rajmata Shantadevi’s Will: Rajmata Shantadevi Gaekwad’s will has been challenged by Sangramsinh, the youngest brother of the late Fatehsinhrao Gaekwad. In an objection filed – through his lawyer Kailash Jethmalani – at the civil court in Baroda on 11th September he has raised questions about the right of the Rajmata, who passed away in May 2002, to draw up a will. The court has registered the objection and will hear the case on September 23. It was filed after the court asked for objections from the public to a probate proceeding filed last month by Mrunalinidevi Puar requesting the court to authenticate the will, which was drawn up in February 1992, and permit her to execute it. The will is at present in a sealed cover in court.

11-09-02

P.J. Patel Appointed SPU VC: MS University Sociology Professor P.J. Patel (58) has been appointed vice-chancellor of the Sardar Patel University. Born in Karamsad, He completed his B.A. (Sociology) from Nadiad’s C.B. Patel Arts College, did Masters from MSU and completed his doctoral thesis from the Gujarat University. He became the head of MSU’s Sociology Department in 1988 and dean of the Arts Faculty in 2000.

Crocodile Caught At Motibaug: Fifteen volunteers from the Gujarat Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (GSPCA) took an hour to catch an 11.5-feet-long crocodile at the on the Motibaug cricket ground. It may have entered the ground through an underground channel. It was later released into the Ajwa reservoir.

Garba Singing Workshop: A free workshop in Garba singing will be conducted by Shiv Dharini Kala Kendra on 14th and 15th September. For details please ring up +91-265- 428248.

Onam Programme: Baroda Kerala Samajam has organised an Onam festival programme from September 15 to 29 at the Samajam campuses at Fatehgunj and Makarpura. The participants must register their names by September 14.

Vivekananda Kendra: To mark the Universal Brotherhood Day on 11th September Vivekananda Kendra, Vadodara, has organised an Extempore Speech Competition at Vasvik Hall, Institute Of Engineers, Near Race Course Bus Depot, from 6.30 p.m. to 8.30 p.m. The competition (in English, Hindi, Gujarati) is open to all. For further details, call +91-265-310487. It was on 11th September 1893 that Swami Vivekananda had delivered his stirring lecture at the World Parliament of Religions in Chicago.

10-09-02

Baroda Bar Association: Senior Advocate Narendra Tiwari has been elected president of the Baroda Bar Association (BBA) for the 12th time in a row. He got 875 votes while the opponent, Hareshchandra Jhala, secured 359 votes. Ranjitsinh Rathod and Dilip Patel were elected as secretaries and Pravin Thakkar was elected vice-president unanimously.

MSUSU Elections: Two MSU Commerce Faculty students won the top posts in the student union elections held on Saturday (7th September): Mehul Lakhani is vice president and Rutvij Joshi is general secretary.

07-09-02

GACL Explosion: On Friday (6th September) the doctors treating the victims of Thursday’s explosion at GACL’s Ranoli plant were not sure as to whether they could safely administer the antidote to the chemical poison (monochloro acetic acid – MCA) inhaled by the workers. Scientists from Baroda-based Alembic’s Research & Development Division did indeed manage to prepare dichloro acetic acid (DCA), the only known antidote to MCA, but the team of doctors at Bhailal Amin Hospital decided against administering it because it is not tested and certified. Akzo Nobel, the only company in the world authorised to manufacture DCA, is based in Sweden. Dr. Chaitanya Buch, one of the attending doctors, says: "Toxicity caused by MCA is a very rare occurrence. We have been in touch with doctors across the globe and have surfed the Net. There is no case of MCA toxicity in humans reported anywhere."

Bird-Hit At Harni Airport: A Jet Airways passenger aircraft (Mumbai-Vadodara flight 341, a 165-seat Boeing) was grounded at Baroda’s Harni Airport on Friday morning after a bird-hit. The incident occurred while the aircraft was running on the tarmac after landing. There were no injuries.

MSU Union Elections: Additional security has been deployed on the campus for the MS University students’ union elections which will take place on Saturday (7th September). Besides the 190 MSU security personnel, two SRP companies and the Fatehgunj, Sayajigunj and Raopura police are also on the job. Over 35,000 students will cast their votes at 79 polling booths all over the campus. There will be 57 counting booths and the results are due by Saturday evening.

Calling All Sabari Vidyalaya Alumni: The following message has been received from Sheela Karnad, Headmistress, who is currently in USA.

Dear Past Students of Sabari Vidyalaya,

Your school is completing 25 years of service to the student community of Baroda. We are planning to celebrate the Silver Jubilee Year and we would like to get in touch with all of you. I know that many of you have reached great heights of achievements through hard work and efforts. Sabari Vidyalaya is proud of you. Some of you have approached me and expressed interest in starting Sabari Alumni Association. I invite you to send your present address to me to proceed in this direction. I am in the USA up to 25th September and those who are in the USA may contact me on 408 554 9417. I will be only too happy to hear about your achievements.

With lots of love and good wishes,
Sheela Karnad
Headmistress
Sabari Vidyalaya
Vasna Road
Baroda 390 015
India
Ph: +91-265-251729
Email: sheelakar@sify.com

Exhibition Of Ganesh Idols & Images: By master craftsmen from all over India. At BODHI. September 11 to 19, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Swami Vivekananda Exhibition: Ramkrishna-Vivekananda Kendra will hold an exhibition of pictures depicting Swami Vivekananda’s life and work from September 7 to 9, at Swami Vivekananda Art Gallery, between 10 a.m. and 8 p.m.

06-09-02

Explosion At GACL Kills 3 Workers: Three workers were killed and 17 others injured on Thursday (5th September) when a tonner exploded in the chlorine bottling area of Gujarat Alkalies & Chemicals Ltd. (GACL) at Ranoli, 10 kms from Baroda. Four of the injured are in a serious condition. Some of the injured may face damage to their eyesight.

The tonner exploded while it was being filled with chlorine. The explosion took place after the chlorine reacted with monocholoroacetic acid (MCA) and acetic acid, traces of which were present in the tanker. The contact between chlorine and these two acids caused an exothermic reaction. Both the chemicals present in the container are not used by GACL. It is presumed that they may have come along with the container when it was brought from Baroda based Transpek Industries, to whom GACL supplies chlorine.

The accident victims are suffering from inhalation injuries caused by some noxious fumes that may have been emitted from the liquid. Doctors are trying to find an antidote for such an attack. After a lot of consultation with senior doctors and surfing on the Internet, GACL officials and Bhailal Amin Hospital learnt that the only antidote for MCA is DCA (dichloro acetic acid). Even the National Institute of Occupational Health at Ahmedabad admitted that it had never encountered poisoning of this kind.

Vishwamitri’s Flowing Waters: The recent spells of heavy rains in Baroda have caused a lot of discomfort to the city and its citizens. But they have had a far more important advantage: the city’s water problem has been solved for this year at least. Among the more temporary pleasures: the otherwise dry Vishwamitri has actually taken on the looks of a proper river with its level at 16 ft (the Ajwa Lake is at 210 ft). Since a wet Vishwamitri is a rare sight crowds gather at the Karelibaug bridge or the Bhimnath bridge at Sayajigunj to watch the waters flow. It seems that so much water was seen only in the 1973 and 1994 floods.

Boy Drowns: A teenage boy drowned in the Vishwamitri river near the Sama Road octroi post on Thursday (5th September). The boy had gone for a swim with two friends. His body had not been recovered till late evening.

VUDA’s New Office: The office of the Vadodara Urban Development Authority (VUDA) has shifted to new premises – called Vuda Bhavan, naturally – on VIP Road in Karelibaug. The new telephone numbers: +91-265-466170, 466175, 466717, 466720.

Scholarships For Needy Students: To help economically backward students who are unable to continue with their studies after Standard VII, a Baroda based organisation Mahavir International has identified 121 municipal corporation schools from where meritorious students will be chosen for scholarships. The organisation will take care of expenses on fees, books and other study material. This year 240 students will be chosen.

Bonsai Workshop: Community Science Centre, Vadodara, will organise this workshop on September 8 at 2 p.m. It will be conducted by P. Bavaskar.

05-09-02

Mishap Averted At Harni Airport: A mishap was averted at Vadodara’s Harni airport on Tuesday night when a Jet Airways flight from New Delhi developed a technical fault while landing and landed on the ground outside the runway. No passengers were injured. Airport sources said that a tyre of the aircraft burst and the plane veered off the runway.

Pay GEB Bills Through Net: Gujarat Electricity Board consumers who have an account with ICICI Bank can now pay their bills through the Internet. To start with, only consumers in the Vadodara City Circle can use this facility by logging on to www.icicibank.com. They will have to pay the bills at least two working days before the due date. The receipt for the payments will be sent through courier.

02-09-02

Phone Freebie: BSNL is providing a free Virtual Calling Card worth Rs. 525 for every new registration for a telephone connection in all the 10 telephone exchanges in Vadodara city and district.

QC In Schools: Quality Circle Forum of India has organised its first State-level Convention of Quality Circles in schools at New Era Senior Secondary School on September 6 and 7.

Museology Department: The Museology Department of MS University is celebrating 50 years and has decided to come out with a golden jubilee publication. This MSU department is believed to be the first in Asia to provide institutional training in museum studies.

Painting Exhibition: Till September 6: Exhibition of water-colour paintings by Jasbinder at Sarjan Art Gallery. The theme of this collection is ‘History in step with nature’, where the city’s monuments are featured.