The Government College University has brought out the 99th edition of the oldest academic literary magazine of the sub-continent “The Ravi” carrying literary and research articles by noted writers, journalists, professors, Old Ravians and Ravians.
The Ravi, a contemporary of London Times Literary Supplement, has been a part of the sub-continent’s literary heritage for the last 110 years. The publication of this magazine had started in 1900.
This year, the English section of The Ravi boasts such prominent names as Dr S.M. Ali Abbas, Khalid Ahmed, Dr Faisal Bari, Mushahid Husain, Prof Dr Pervez Hoodhbhoy, Prof Dr Saadat Saeed, S.M Zafar and Brig Vinod C Khanna (retired).
Journalist Najam Sethi, political thinker Lal Khan, socio-economic and political analyst Dr Moeed Pirzada have also featured in the compilation. Despite the gravity of their subject matter, articles by Ali Moeen Nawazish and Sheherbano Taseer offered a light-hearted yet thought-provoking view of pertinent issues.
The Urdu section consisted of more than five parts, paying a tribute to literary giants such as Saadat Hasan Manto, Zia Jalandhari, Shahzad Ahmad, Hafeez Hoshiarpuri and a Punjabi section hailing the works of Abbas Najmi.
The contributors include notable literati Intizar Husain, Sarmad Sehbai, Amjad Islam Amjad, Adnan Mohsin, Shujaur Rahman Dogar, Khursheed Rizvi and Dr Syed Tariq Zaidi.
Ali Akhtar Saleem, the editor of this year’s The Ravi Urdu Section, in its editorial explored the complexities of the human mind, yearning for intellectual independence in the socio-political contexts.
Ali Zafar, (editor of English section) reviewed the Ravian tradition and chasm between the past and the present. He traced the utilitarian exegesis of change as the permanent feature of the Ravian spirit.
GCU Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Khaleequr Rahman said the main objective of The Ravi was to explore the literary talent among university students.
Stating that the literary magazine had been named after the River Ravi, he said the flowing river was referred as the symbolic continuity of ideas, thoughts, feelings and rich sentiments of GCU students, alumni and faculty members which were expressed through the magazine.
He said people like Nobel Laureate Prof Dr Abdus Salam, A.S Bukhari and Noon Meem Rashid were among its former editors.
GCU Chief Librarian Abdul Waheed claimed that the university had carefully kept safe all the editions of the magazine. Keeping in view the modern needs of the students, he said, the library had digitised The Ravi and now the complete magazine would also be available online.
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THE University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences celebrated a week-long Jashan-i-Bharan while hosting a variety of events that helped students involve in healthy innovative activities besides promoting inter-provincial harmony.
The university students had decorated their respective departments based on a theme “Pakistan”. The students decorated and created an ambiance of all provinces representing through dresses and cultures.
UVAS Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Talat Naseer Pasha said the students performed wonderfully well in the spring festival and reverberated the university campus with colour, innovation, creativity and harmony.
Beginning with Qira’at and Na’at competitions, the spring festival showcased declamation contest, drama, scientific exhibition, flower arrangements and fun fair.
In Qira’at contest, DVM student Hafiz Sohaib Zafar won first position, while Iqra Javed from Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences (IPS) stood second and DVM student Yasir Nawaz bagged third position.
In Na’at competition, Usman Ghani of BS (Honours) Microbiology got first position, IPS’ Zainul Abideen and Shahtaj Khan earned second and third positions, respectively.
In bi-lingual declamation contest, as many as 30 students from various departments participated. The DVM students lifted the declamation trophy, while IPS students remained runners-up.
In English serious contest, IPS’ Amina Malik clinched first, DVM’s Maham Gill second and IPS’ Sana Batool got third positions. In English humorous category competition, DVM’s Javed Arman stood first while the second and third positions went to the IPS students Sara Sattar and Iqra Saeed, respectively.
In Urdu serious category contest, DVM’s Aqib Khalil stood first, Iqra Shahid from Institute of Biochemistry and Biotechnology (IBBT) bagged second position while IPS’ Asad Ali Lodhi got third position. In Urdu humorous category, DVM’s Muhammad Sufiyan earned first, IPS’ Rana Zahid second and IBBT’s Muhammad Ishaq bagged third positions.
In a scientific exhibition, students from various departments displayed innovative posters and models on various scientific themes and topics.
In poster competition, the poster on vaccination to prevent dengue fever prepared by Applied Microbiology students Iqra Asif, Iqra Mehfooz, Maira Saleem and Maryam Saleem got first position. A poster on plant extract matrix prepared by DVM students Muhammad Usman and Ali Bajwa got second position, while the poster on “targeting glucagon receptors to Control Type 2 Diabetes” prepared by IBBT student Tanveer Husain got third prize.
In models competition, the model of “self-power generation” prepared by Applied Biotechnology students Hira Niazi, Zunaira Zafar and Maryam Zafar got first position; the model of “Insertion of Luciferin Gene into plant”, prepared by IBBT students Fahad Khan, Shehzad Ishaq, Sumaira Gulzar and Maham Arshad got second position while the model of “Automated Pet Cage” prepared by Qazi Ihtram of DVM 4th semester got the third prize.
The drama contest trophy was lifted by DVM students. In the drama contest, DVM semester-I won first position, BS (Honours) Environmental Science students got second while DVM semester-IV students bagged third position.
In flower arrangement competition, the IPS and DVM students shared the overall first position, IBBT students secured second position, while Centre for Environmental Science and the Department of Microbiology students shared the third position.
The university management had also organised individual floral arrangement competitions in four categories – fresh flowers, paper flowers, dough flowers and dry flowers.
In fresh flowers category, IPS’ Maryam Fatima and Sara Nazim clinched first and second positions, respectively. The third prize went to DVM semester-I student Shahbaz Ahmad.
In paper flowers category, IBBT’s Zunaira Zafar stood first, Environmental Science student Hira Fatima second and Faiza Ghulam Rasool of Business Administration bagged third position.
In dough flowers category, DVM first year student Ali Raza secured first position, IPS’ Iqra Liaquat and Zunair Maqsood obtained second and third positions, respectively. In dry flowers category, IPS’ Sana Saif and Uruba Muzaffar shared first position.
In departmental decorations, presentations and performances competition, the IPS students earned first position, Department of Surgery secured second spot while Business Administration and IBBT students shared the third position. A consolation prize was given to the Department of Medicine.
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THE City School is organising a series of events under the parasol of “Teaming Together to Raise Better Citizens” as a part of its “35 years of the Partnership with the Parents” and Pakistan Day celebrations.
The school dedicated first four Saturdays of March, called Super Saturdays, to four different programmes designed to inspire the participants in becoming proactive, passionate and productive in bringing and sustaining peace and prosperity to Pakistan as “Better Citizens”.
The school organised a seminar on “Positive Parenting” at a local hotel on March 2.The school organised “Paint Crazy” on March 9 and offered space and substance for the teenagers, youth and adults to use paints in creative and innovative manners. The participants added colours to the environment and people around them in practical as well as philosophical terms.
On March 16, the school organised interactive workshops for the parents and motivated them to become a living source of inspiration for their children. The workshops engaged and involved parents in various learning exercises designed around developing and exercising the right and required approach of child grooming in the face of internal and external challenges.
The Super Saturdays’ event will conclude with a mega event on March 23, which has been designed around the theme ‘I AM PAKISTAN’. —mansoormalik173@hotmail.com
