Flute maestro Chaurasia pays musical tribute to late Sikander Alam Cuttack: Internationally acclaimed flautist Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia paid tribute to departed singer Sikander Alam who passed away recently, in a classical music concert held at the Heritage Hall in Ravenshaw University here on Monday under the aegis of Society for Promotion of Indian Classical Music and Culture Amongst Youth (SPIC MACAY). After paying deep obeisance to the great singer and lamenting his absence in the concert, he started his recital with a musical composition dedicated to late Sikander Alam, who was his close friend and colleague at All India Radio, Cuttack. He continued his hour-long recital with a composition in Raag Bhupali followed by a pahadi dhun. He was accompanied on the tabla by Pandit Subhankar Banerjee and supported on the flute by two of his front-ranking students. Pandit Chaurasia’s concert was a historic one as he performed in Cuttack after several years. The cultural city of Cuttack is the cradle of his professional career where he was a staff musician at All India Radio in the 1960s and worked for many years here before moving to Mumbai. He has played for stalwarts of Odia music industry like Balkrushna Dash, Bhubaneswar Mishra, Akshaya Mohanty, Sikander Alam and many other innumerable Odia songs, modern and devotional, recorded for All India Radio, Cuttack and His Master’s Voice (HMV), now Saregama. Hundreds of students, faculty members, music lovers, eminent citizens and connoisseurs of art and culture including vice-chancellor, Ravenshaw University Devdas Chhotray, higher education, culture and tourism minister Debi Prasad Mishra and several other dignitaries attended the classical music concert. Pandit Chaurasia however lamented the declining popularity of classical music among the youth. He further lamented over the fact that All India Radio, Cuttack is airing only modern songs these days oblivious of its glorious cultural heritage. He fondly recalled his days when he used to rehearse for recordings at the erstwhile Ravenshaw College. At the end of his concert, he sought the help of the audience to remind him of some old non-film Odia songs, especially Odissi, chhanda, champu and timeless radio songs, and also played a couple of them. Before concluding his spellbinding performance, he took the audience by surprise and amusement by playing the famous Christmas song, Jingle Bells on his flute. He promised the audience to come back again and play some of their favourite Odia songs. It may be noted that the concert was held as an overture to the 26th National Convention of SPIC MACAY scheduled to be held in Ravenshaw University in May 2011. The concert was the first event under the curtain raiser programme ahead of the ensuing weeklong convention and similar concerts by renowned musicians will take place every month till May next year, University sources said. Regarded as a rare combination of innovator and traditionalist, Pandit Chaurasia has collaborated with several western musicians, including John McLaughlin, Yehudi Menuhin and Jan Garbarek, and has also composed hit music for a number of Hindi films like Chandni and Darr with santoor maestro Shiv Kumar Sharma. He has won a number of prestigious awards including the Sangeet Natak Akademi (1984), Konark Samman (1992), Padma Bhushan (1992), Yash Bharati Samman (1994), Padma Vibhushan (2000) and Akshaya Samman (2009). Ravenshavians attune to evening romantic raga on strings  Cuttack (July 26, 2010): Renowned exponent of classical guitar, Dr Kamala Shankar performed at the prestigious Heritage Hall of Ravenshaw University here on Thursday evening under the aegis of Society for Promotion of Indian Classical Music and Culture Amongst Youth (SPIC MACAY).  The musical evening began with a befitting introduction by lecturer in zoology, Dr Lekhasri Samantsinghar. Before beginning the recital, Dr Shankar introduced her improvised Shankar Guitar to the audience and explained the salient features of the string instrument. “My instrument is made from a single block of wood, with thicker walls and no sound hole. It has four melody strings, four chikari or rhythmic strings and 12 taraf or sympathetic strings,” she described.  She chose the evening romantic raga Raag Behag for the performance and explained the scales, aroha (ascending), avaroha (descending) and various nuances of the melodious raga. She began her recital with an alaap (gradual exposition) followed by compositions set to vilambit and madhya teen taal (sixteen beat cycle) and jhala (fast rhythmic passages). She continued her spellbinding recital with a famous Benarasi dadra, Mope daro na rang giridhari set to dadra taal (six beat cycle). She concluded her recital with a well-known Ram bhajan, Jinke man me siyaram base. At the request of students, she also presented a couple of film compositions based on the romantic Raag Behag. She was accompanied on the tabla by noted tabla player of Odisha, Umesh Chandra Kar. At the end, Dr Shankar replied to some questions raised by the audience comprising of hundreds of students, faculty members, music lovers and connoisseurs of art and culture.  Dr Shankar is the first female guitarist to have enthralled the world through her immaculate and melodious rendition of Indian classical music. She attracted world attention by converting the western Hawaiian Guitar to Shankar Guitar with overtones of the classical Veena. Born in Tanjore district of Tamil Nadu, Dr Shankar’s musical career started with training in vocal music by her mother at the age of six. She has played a vital role in introducing the western guitar into Hindustani instrumental music. She has received many prestigious awards and has performed all over the world. She is also a regular performer on All India Radio and Doordarshan as an A grade artist. She belongs to an elite and exclusive class of musicians who have Masters in Science and Doctorate in Music from Banaras Hindu University (BHU).        The Consecration Ceremony (Bhumi Puja) for the much-ambitious Ravenshaw Convention Centre (RCC) was held recently in the campus behind Commerce Block. The marvellous structure christened "Seven Pillars of Wisdom" will come up in a year.   Artists join amateurs to paint nature Nature and art go hand in hand. These days when environmental degradation and global warming are the threats looming large on earth, a group of ace painters of the State and students of various age groups came together under one roof to create awareness on the problems through art. The platform was ‘Dhara’, an art workshop for creating awareness among people towards environment, organised by Cuttack-based social organisation The Green Projects at Kanika Library of Ravenshaw University on February 27, 2010. Splash of colours with a cause ruled the event. While on one side of the venue were kids with human forms, flowers and other elements from the nature to gel with the given theme, the other side had canvases of painters like Prafulla Mohanti, J P Das, Byomkesh Mohanty, Siba Panigrahi and Ranjit Parija reflecting life amid spectres of doom and disaster. The workshop reflected different styles and techniques used by the participating artists. The moods and themes also varied ranging from cheerful and relaxed to grim or stern. All the five artists explored various dimensions of nature, human mind and its synchrony with the physical body. While Siba Panigrahi journeyed into the caravan of dreams and hopes of a couple in the spring, recreating an ambience that is fairy tale like and an imagery that is folksy in character, Prafulla Mohanti’s work was marked by compositional elegance. Brimming with earthy colours, his paintings filled with sharp, circular strokes, created an eye-catching impression. The red colour was placed in the centre, representing life, with loads of greens around signifying the green cover which he said “needs to be protected for humans to survive.” J P Das’s ‘Vanished Civilisation and Homo sapiens’ depicted life when global warming has completely taken its toll on the civilisation. Dry and dark colours ruled the canvas with no shades of green. Skeletal remains of animals and dried up river beds and trees reflected the grim scenario. He also put two flattened watches in his frame signifying the uselessness of time. Similarly, Byomkesh Mohanty and Ranjit Parija worked on abstract themes to show the effect of environmental degradation. Though amateurs, the children through their visual language experimented on different topics related to the theme. Depleting green cover, industrial pollution, global warming were some of the subjects. While a nine-year-old Sannidhya Nanda drew leafless tress surrounding a village, 20-year-old Devjani Bhuyan showed how toxic wastes from industries are polluting earth. The juxtaposition of their works within the confines of the library space overwhelmed the viewers. The colours were rich, animated, resonant, vibrant and dazzling, the figures distorted, exaggerated and the technique overtly inventive, innovative and different. All their paintings were insightful and perceptive, evolved through personal experiences and memories. (Source: The New Indian Express) Manoj Das delivers Fourth Ravenshaw Memorial Lecture One of India’s finest writers of fiction, eminent thinker, philosopher, essayist nonpareil, and Ravenshavian extraordinary, Manoj Das delivered the Fourth Ravenshaw Memorial Lecture-2010 on 20 and 22 March 2010 at the historic Heritage Hall of Ravenshaw University. He delivered the lecture in two parts, in English and Oriya. The subject of his English lecture on 20 March was The Riddle of Sphinx (Its Relevance in our Time in Regard to Life and Death) and that of his Oriya lecture on 22 March was Ajira Jibanare Biswas O Bandhuta (Reflections on the Changing Concepts of Values in our Time). A large number of students, faculty and intellectuals attended the lecture and interacted with the renowned writer.   'Foster a culture of invention and creativity'       Eminent scientist and the Associate Director of Research for Material Science and Component Technology, US Naval Research Laboratory, Washington DC, Dr Bhakta B Rath called upon students and graduates to foster a culture of invention, innovation, collaboration and creativity to shape the future. Delivering the commencement speech at the third Convocation of Ravenshaw University here, he said that the future was set to throw up immense challenges driven by societal needs such as alternate energy sources, water and environment, disease, education, counterterrorism and war among others. “There is a lot of work to be done and that falls on you, the future of the state”. He said that in the next 25 to 30 years there may be significant inventions and innovations which would script new course for life on the planet. Some of the predicted transformational technologies are computers with cognitive systems to interact with humans using natural language and respond to emotions, embedded miniature computers in the human system to communicate and report chemical imbalances in the body and advanced energy storage technologies. Oceans will be the huge frontier to meet a major chunk of societal needs. Clean water technologies will be developed to enable faster, energy efficient treatment of fresh water, waste water and desalinisation of sea water for use in domestic, agricultural and industrial purposes. In vivo devices will monitor drug requirements and provide controlled release, DNA technology will eliminate diseases like diabetes, cancer, haemophilia, etc. And, the students and graduates of today would spearhead such inventions, Dr Rath said. Chancellor and Governor Murlidhar Chandrakant Bhandare urged the students to transform the possibilities into opportunities. “Let the books read here, lessons taught, experiments done and researches carried out here be not a repository of dead printed pages and of routine exercises. Let them be the source of simulation and progress, he said. Vice-Chancellor Devdas Chhotray detailed the strides Ravenshaw University has taken since its commencement in November 2006. From expanding and improving the physical infrastructure to developing the academic and co-curricular aspects, concerted efforts are being made to elevate the institution to one of the best in the country, he said. The University conferred Honorary Doctor of Law on noted lawyer Pavani Prameswara Rao, Doctor of Literature on former director of All India Radio, Cuttack, PV Krishnamoorthy, freedom fighter Prof Chittaranjan Das, painters Prafulla Mohanti and Jatin Das and Doctor of Science on Dr Bhakta B Rath this year. Gold medals and degrees were given away to the passing out students in the UG and PG streams.       Ravenshaw Heritage Hall resonates with unison of strings   Leading exponent of Hindustani classical music, Pandit Vishwa Mohan Bhatt and his son Salil Bhatt performed on the Mohan Veena (an innovation of the slide guitar) and Satwik Veena respectively at the Heritage Hall of Ravenshaw University on February 22. The concert was held under the aegis of Society for Promotion of Indian Classical Music and Culture Amongst Youth (SPIC MACAY). The musical evening started with an introductory lecture on Indian classical music by Pandit Vishwa Mohan Bhatt. He began his Mohan Veena recital with an alaap in Raag Behag, an evening raga. His son Salil Bhatt joined him in the second part of the concert and both of them struck a jugalbandi in late evening raga, Raag Maru Behag in Vilambit and Drut Gat set to Teen Taal with befitting tabla accompaniment by Akram Khan. At the end, Pandit Vishwa Mohan Bhatt interacted with the audience in a question-answer session and explained the quintessence of Indian classical music. Pandit Vishwa Mohan Bhatt is a recipient of the prestigious Grammy Award in 1994, Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1998 and the Padma Shri in 2002. Being the foremost disciple of Pandit Ravi Shankar, Panditji belongs to that elite body of musicians which traces its origin to the Mughal emperor Akbar's court musician Tansen and his guru Swami Haridas. Apart from being a star performer on stage, he has a number of studio and live recordings to his credit which have achieved phenomenal success and outstanding sales records.   Ravenshavians excel at NSS camp       Students of Ravenshaw University were adjudged as the 'Best Disciplined Team' and Ravenshaw University was declared as the 'Best University' at the 'State Level Integration Camp' organised by National Service Scheme (NSS) and Directorate of Continuing Education (DCE), Utkal University at Bhubaneswar from February 15 to 21. Ravenshavians also bagged 14 certificates of merit for their glorious achievements. Coordinator Dr. Priti Rekha Das Patnaik and programme officer Dr. Alekha Kumar Sutar of Ravenshaw University accompanied and guided the group to the integration camp. Dr. Alekh Sutar, Lecturer in Chemistry, Ravenshaw University was also felicitated for his dedication and service. The students who represented Ravenshaw University are Krishna Kasturika of B.Com. final year (Management Hons.), Siddharth Shekhar of B.Sc. final year (ITM), Swadhin Behera of B.A. second year (Geography Hons.), Sweta Mukherjee of B.A. second year (Geography Hons.) and Asha Swain of B.Sc. first year (Zoology Hons.). Krishna Kasturika was the group leader. The students earned huge appreciation for their dedicated service. Nine universities including 34 colleges participated in the camp coordinated by Dr. Surekha Sundari Swain of Utkal University.   Third inter-university RTI debate competition held at Ravenshaw University Ravenshavians sweep Inter-varsity RTI debate Cuttack: Students of Ravenshaw University swept the 3rd Inter-University RTI debate competition held at Physics Lecture Theatre in the University on December 12, 2009 by bagging the first and third prizes. The topic of the debate was ‘Who Wants Information: Ignorance is Bliss’. Information Commissioner, Satyananda Mishra, former DG Gopal Nanda and eminent RTI activist Dr. Bhagawan Prakash graced the occasion as judges.  Fifteen students from ten universities of the State participated in the RTI debate competition. Puspanjali Panda of College of Veterinary Sciences and Animal Husbandry, OUAT, Bhubaneswar and Swayamshree Mishra, Ravenshaw University, Cuttack bagged the first prize jointly and won the RTI Running Shield and a cash prize of Rs. 5,000. Bhumika Mallick of National Law University, Cuttack bagged the second prize with a cash award of Rs. 3,000 and Sampad Patnaik of Ravenshaw University, Cuttack bagged the third prize with a cash award of Rs. 2,000. Earlier, in the first week of December, the prestigious Borasambar Debate, which was reinstituted by Vice-Chancellor Mr. Devdas Chhotray after decades of discontinuance, was held at the Heritage Hall of the University on the topic, ‘God is a Woman’. While Sampad Patnaik, B.A. (English Hons.) and Swayamshree Mishra, B.A. (Sociology Hons.), who also excelled in the 3rd Inter-University RTI debate competition, bagged the joint first prize, Krishna Kasturika, B.Com. (Management Hons.) and Debamitra Sen, M.Sc. (Mathematics) bagged the joint second prize. The origin of the prestigious Borasambar Debate can be traced back to 1934, two years before the State became a separate province. Nilamani Senapati, one of the few Oriya ICS officers was posted as deputy commissioner of Sambalpur district. Borasambar was then a small principality of about 1,000 square miles in Gandhamardan hills. When Senapati was transferred to Cuttack, he was presented with Rs. 600 as parting gift by the Raja of Borasambar Estate, Rajendra Singh Bariah. Senapati then donated the amount to Ravenshaw College to create an endowment for awarding prize to the best English debater. Among the winners of the prestigious debate are luminaries like Sriram Chandra Dash, Prafulla K Pati, A.N. Tiwary, Nilakanth Rath, S.K. Palit, P.C. Hota, Sarat Kar, D.K. Ray and the present Vice-Chancellor Mr. Devdas Chhotary himself in 1963. National Education Day observed in RU The National Education Day was observed in Ravenshaw University on November 11, 2009 on the occasion of the birth anniversary of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, a great freedom fighter and the first Union Minister of Education. Prof. Bimalendu Mohanty, an eminent educationist and former Vice-Chancellor of Utkal University of Culture was the chief guest on the occasion. Dr. Sachindra Raul, Dean, Students' Welfare, Ravenshaw University presided over the meeting. Prof. Mohanty highlighted the contribution of Maulana Azad and threw light on different aspects of Higher Education in the present scenario. Essay and debate competitions were organised among the students as part of the celebration. The winners of the competitions were awarded trophies in the function. While Dr. Soma Chand, Reader in History introduced the guests, the meeting came to an end with vote of thanks by Dr. Sasmita Tripathy, the co-ordinator of the celebration. Ravenshaw University observes Third Commemoration Day Cuttack: Ravenshaw University celebrated its ‘Third Commemoration Day’ with much pomp and enthusiasm on November 15, 2009. Dr. Kiran Seth, Professor in Mechanical Engineering, IIT Delhi and founder of Society for Promotion of Indian Classical Music and Culture Amongst Youth (SPIC MACAY), delivered the commemoration day address at the open air stage in the University campus. He spoke on the subject, ‘Our Core Competence’. The lecture was followed by cultural programmes by distinguished artistes. 102-year-old noted Hindustani classical exponent Ustad Abdul Rashid Khan performed Hindustani Vocal followed by Gotipua dance by artistes of Konark Natya Mandap. Ustad Abdul Rashid Khan and renowned Odissi teacher Guru Gangadhar Pradhan were felicitated on the occasion for their priceless contribution to Indian music and dance respectively. On this occasion, the Science Faculty of the University held an exhibition which was open to students as well as public. A friendly cricket match was also played on the same day between the old boys and the current players in the University playground.  The famous Ravenshaw College, the glory of Orissa, became a Unitary University exactly three years ago on November 15, 2006 when former Bihar cadre IAS officer Mr. Devdas Chhotray joined it as its first Vice-Chancellor following the notification issued by the State Government. From an autonomous college to the status of a Unitary University, the century-old institution got its due status after a long wait.  Higher Education Task Force meets at Ravenshaw University   Cuttack: Following successful consultations held at Sambalpur, Jeypore and Berhampur, the fourth regional consultation of the Higher Education Taskforce constituted by the Government of Orissa under the chairmanship of Padmabhusan Prof (Dr) Trilochan Pradhan was hosted by Ravenshaw University.   The consultation was attended by a galaxy of educationists, academicians, educational administrators, people’s representatives and members of civil societies. The meeting was presided over by Vice-Chancellor of Ravenshaw University Devdas Chhotray while Prof Pradhan conducted the deliberations. Minister of Higher Education Debiprasad Mishra, Commissioner-cum-Secretary of Higher Education Madhusudan Padhi, Cuttack MP Bhartruhari Mahtab and Banki MLA Prabhat Ranjan Tripathy were in attendance as guests. Among the audience were former minister and educationist Trilochan Kanungo and eminent former bureaucrat Vivek Patnaik, who participated in the deliberations. Executive Director of Human Development Foundation (HDF) and Secretary to the Task Force were also present.   Following a presentation about the background to the Task Force by Dr Dhanada Kanta Mishra of HDF, which is providing secretarial services to the task force, Prof Binayak Rath made a comprehensive presentation giving wide-ranging ideas for reforming the existing university system in particular reference to Utkal University. The key recommendations made by a University-level group formed by the Vice-Chancellor for the purpose included restructuring the university into several smaller universities as per the recommendation of the Knowledge Commission for better management and administration. Other suggestions included reforming the University statutes and accounts procedure, curbing political interference on campus, providing greater autonomy, etc.  The Minister of Higher Education discussed the determination of the Government to see higher education as a vibrant growing sector so that the State can stay abreast of the developments at the national as well as international level. Mahtab called for introspection on the role of higher education in overall development of the State and urged the task force to keep the State’s interest uppermost while deliberating on the draft policy and perspective plans. Padhi urged the gathering to give practical and implementable ideas to improve the situation in higher education. Prabhat Ranjan Tripathy also addressed the gathering.  Prof. Trilochan Pradhan in his key note addressed touched on various aspects of the higher education scenario at the national and international level. Drawing from his vast experience in academics and higher education, he dwelt at length on the need for reforms and fast growth to catch up with rest of the world.  Among the participants, Trilochan Kanungo drew the attention of the task force to the predicament of managing higher secondary (+2) education and called for sending it back to schools. Vivek Patnaik emphasized on employability as one of the major objectives of higher education and drew attention on education in demand-based areas such as agriculture, international law, etc. Rabi Patra presented the genuine grievances of teaching community and called for urgent attention to address the same. ICCR hosts Chocquibtown musical band ICCR’s Regional Centre located on the campus of Ravenshaw University hosted a musical programme by the popular Columbia-based band, “Chocquibtown” on 20th October, 2009 (Tuesday).  The unique musical event was held in the auditorium of Xavier Institute of Management, Bhubaneswar (XIMB). The event was a part of the celebrations of 50 years of bilateral relations between India and Colombia. The Embassy of Colombia, New Delhi in collaboration with ICCR organized the event in Bhubaneswar. The concert was ICCR’s first major cultural event for the State after the formal inauguration of its Orissa Chapter on the Ravenshaw University campus in Cuttack. The Chapter has been hosting cultural events under ICCR’s ‘Horizon Series’ every month in Cuttack and Bhubaneswar. The Colombian Hip-Hop and Salsa band was nominated for the prestigious Grammy Award for the year 2009. Ambassador of Colombia in India, Juan Alfredo Pinto Saavedra visited the State and attended the show which turned out to be a huge success.   Ravenshaw cements alliance between culture and heritage ICCR regional centre opens in RU Ravenshaw University is now in a new avatar. Apart from being a vibrant centre of learning it has now emerged as a global altar for exchange of culture and heritage. The recently inaugurated regional centre of the prestigious Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) in Ravenshaw campus has filled the already bubbling atmosphere of the century-old institution with new vibes and vibrations. Chief minister Naveen Patnaik – who inaugurated the ICCR regional centre on October 7 at a colourful festival in presence of ICCR vice president Bharati Ray and deputy director Ajit Gupte-- hopes the centre–which functions under the Union ministry of external affairs--would immensely help in showcasing the rich cultural heritage of Orissa. “Orissa would open up a sea of opportunities for the artistes and performers of the state through this pioneering institution of cultural diplomacy which is first of its kind in Orissa,” Mr Patnaik expressed in his inaugural address. Overwhelmed at opening of the ICCR regional centre, the CM announced that his government would plan sensitive and effective programmes to improve the status of the heritage city. ICCR vice president Bharati Ray–who presided over the function--said Cuttack truly deserved the ICCR centre for its glorious historical past, rich culture and heritage. Orissa tourism and culture secretary Dr Mona Sharma maintained that the new ICCR centre would carry forward the rich heritage and cultural elements of Orissa. Vice-Chancellor of Ravenshaw University Devdas Chhotray, who was instrumental in bringing the ICCR centre to Cuttack, is equally optimistic that the regional centre in the university would rapidly grow into a giant and exuberant tree nesting two birds of ‘education’ and ‘culture’ in it. The centre would provide the much-needed handle for showcasing the art and culture of Orissa on the global platform. Local artistes would be empanelled for exchange programmes, exhibitions and performances abroad, he said. Mr Chhotray described the tie-up between ICCR and the university as an alliance between culture and heritage. Adding colour to the inaugural function evening, a cultural programme was held where eminent Odissi danseuse Aruna Mohanty and renowned vocalist Chittaranjan Pani presented Odissi dance and classical vocal music respectively. Notably, ICCR has already started its ‘Horizon’ series of cultural programmes in the state since May. The series commenced with Rabindra Sangeet in Oriya by Cuttack-based promising singer Trupti Panda followed by Odissi dance by the talented danseuse Sonali Mohapatra and Hindustani vocal by eminent singer Chittaranjan Pani. ICCR has also started students exchange programme from Orissa. Currently, under the international students exchange programme, students of Afghanistan, Mongolia, Belgium, Nepal and other countries are studying at Ravenshaw University. At least 60 students from abroad have been enrolled into various programmes and another 20 students from Russia, Iraq and Romania would soon take admission. An international hostel will be constructed in the campus to accommodate foreign students, informed Regional Director of ICCR, Minakshi Mishra. ICCR was envisaged by the first education minister of independent India and its founder President, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad in 1950 as an organization that would foster and strengthen cultural relations and mutual understanding between India and other nations and peoples.   Ravenshaw varsity and Swabhiman hold awareness workshops on disability  Cuttack: Ravenshaw University in collaboration with NGO Swabhiman is organizing a series of twelve awareness workshops on disability. These workshops are intended to provide participants with basic understanding of persons with disability as well as their challenges, strengths and capabilities to become equal citizens. The focus of the workshops is to enhance the capacity of various stakeholders for creation of a society which is free from both physical and attitudinal barriers. The workshops also aim at creating awareness about various disabilities and understanding issues of universal access, inclusive society and acceptance of diversity.   The first workshop of the series entitled, ‘Understanding disABILITY’ was held recently in the Physics Lecture Theatre (PLT) in the Ravenshaw University campus. Ms. Poonam Natrajan, Chairperson of National Trust (Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India), New Delhi and an eminent disability activist of wide repute delivered the keynote address. Dr. Sruti Mohapatra of Swabhiman delivered her lecture on the topic ‘Understanding the Population with Disability--Economic Component of Disability, Census 2001 and Law for the Disabled’. This was followed by simulation exercises and sharing experiences by the participants. There was also a panel discussion on understanding barrier free access where experts deliberated on components of barrier free access in buildings, barrier free access in transportation, education and employment, challenges of higher education, employment scenario and web accessibility.   All the speakers reckoned that persons with disabilities across the globe have strengths and abilities and capable enough to contribute to the community and to the country at large. The speakers also appealed everyone to bear a collective responsibility to work towards the social inclusion of all as a civil society. It may be noted that the workshop is a part of Ravenshaw University’s initiative to constitute itself as a barrier free campus and facilitate access to the physically and mentally challenged students. The University also proposed to commence the Department of Disability Studies from the next academic session in July 2010.  Lecture on National Integration      An extra-mural lecture was held at Physics Lecture Theatre (PLT) of the University on August 27, 2009. Prof. Ram Puniyani, Professor in Bio-Medical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Mumbai was the Guest Speaker who delivered a lecture on ‘National Integration’.  Ravenshaw hosts an evening of Sufi music     Ravenshaw University, in collaboration with SPIC-MACAY presented an evening of Qawwali by renowned Qutbi Brothers---Haji Mohammad Idris and Haji Mohammad Ilyas---who are illustrious inheritors of a 750-year-old tradition in the Sufiana style of singing in the Sarawana Gharana. The performance was held on 18 August, 2009 (6.30 pm onward s) at the Heritage Hall of the University.   Hundreds of students, faculty members, guests, dignitaries and music lovers had a rare opportunity to witness the two brothers performing at their best. The first batch of Afghan students, who had just reached the University in the late afternoon hours for admission into various courses under ICCR’s student scholarship programme, thoroughly enjoyed Sufi and Qawwali compositions, which is their native music. While some felt homely, others felt homesick when they listened to music of their own country in a distant land. The University also earned huge appreciation from culture connoisseurs for giving a warm welcome to the Afghan students in a unique way by organizin