PIFAA - 1st Punjabi International Film Academy Awards 2012

Toronto - The first ever PIFAA Awards will be held in Toronto over 4 days -Saturday 4th August 2012 with a number of events in addition to the Awards function.The awards function will be 3 to 4 hours long with lots of entertainment with performances from leading Punjabi actors, singers, comedians and performers. It will be attended by a large number of Punjabi film personalities from India and around the world. Leading Punjabi film personalities have already agreed to come to Toronto for the event. About 100 renowned people from Punjabi film industry are expected to attend the awards function in Toronto.

Rajesh Khanna: The superstar laid to rest; grandson Aarav lights pyre

Mohd Rafi's native village remembers the legend

 

Chandigarh, July 31

Legendary playback singer Mohammed Rafi's native village Kotla Sultan in Punjab's Amritsar district remembered him on his 32nd death anniversary today, with scores paying a tribute to him.

"We organised a function in the village. A number of people and Rafi sahab's fans thronged to pay tribute," Rafi's childhood friend Bakshish Singh's grandson Jodh Singh Samra told PTI.

Samra, district president of the Youth Akali Dal and SGPC member, said village sarpanch Kuldeep Singh along with sarpanches of some neighbouring villages took part in the function, that also had many school children participating.

"A singing competition was also organised for the children," Samra said.

He said that government should help the villagers set up a library, which will have a collection of Rafi's songs.

Rafi was born in Kotla Sultan village, about 30 kms from Amritsar in Punjab and about 250 kms from here. Born on December 24, 1924, Rafi died of a heart attack in Mumbai on July 31, 1980. He was honoured with the Padma Shri in 1967.

Rafi, who began singing by chanting the notes that a fakir sung in his village, went on to lend his voice to Bollywood megastars including Amitabh Bachchan, Shammi Kapoor, Dharmendra and Dev Anand in his career as a successful playback artist.

He has numerous hit songs to his credit including several duets with famous playback singers Lata Mangeshkar and Asha Bhosle.

Working with music directors like OP Nayyar, Laxmikant Pyarelal and RD Burman, Rafi delivered some evergreen hits including 'Yeh duniya yeh mehfil', 'Chura liya hai tumne', 'O Haseena', 'Tum jo mil gaye ho' and 'Aaj mausam bada beimaan'.

Samra recalled that Rafi was a simple man who used to speak from his heart and help everyone in need.

He said that the village is trying to do its own bit to keep the memory of the singer alive. 

Heavy rain continues in Uttarakhand

Rishikesh-Gangotri and Rishikish-Badrinath routes witness blockages

Dehradun, July 30

Heavy rain continued in the state today, disrupting traffic movement at a number of Char Dham routes. The Rishikesh-Gangotri and Rishikish-Badrinath routes witnessed main blockages. However, the district administration, in assistant with Border Roads Organisation officials, managed to open the routes by the evening.

Executive director, Disaster Mitigation and Management Centre, Piyush Rautela said all Char Dham routes were open by the evening. The Rishikesh-Gangotri route was blocked between Bhatwari and Gangnani at Bishanpur early in the morning. The Rishikesh-Badrinath highway was blocked at a number of places at Patalganga, Pagalnala, Birahi and Kodiya.

Meteorological Department officials in Dehradun said rain would continue in parts of the state in the next 24 hours. Heavy rain could take place in the hilly areas.

Two students of ABVP held for DAV violence

The police arrested two more students wanted in the DAV College violence. The police arrested Sidharth Rana and Manish Rawat on Wednesday and booked them under Sections 147/148/323 for rioting and assaulting people. Both the boys belong to Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad.
Interestingly, the arresting came a day after ABVP tried to put pressure on the police to withdraw cases against its activists. The ABVP had staged a protest outside police headquarters on Tuesday and a delegation had submitted a memorandum to the IG. “The police can’t be influenced through such tactics. We will do whatever is necessary to maintain law and order in the city,” said a senior police official.
Besides, the police are also going to invoke Section 107/116 of the CrPC
against about two dozen more students.

London Olympic fever grips Mussoorie

Mussoorie, July 28
The Olympic fever has gripped the hill town of Mussoorie. Students from Rama Devi Inter College, along with several dignitaries from the town, gathered at Jhoola Ghar in large numbers with the Tricolour in their hands and extended their best wishes to the Indian Olympic team and prayed for the athletes for better performance so that they return with a rich haul of medals and bring laurels to the country.
Eminent roller skater of yesteryear Gopal Bhardwaj also wished for a sterling performance of the team in the London Olympics by skating on roller wheels from Jhoola Ghar to Library Bazaar and back.
Gopal Bhardwaj said that the town had the rare distinction of being part of the Olympic movement in true sense as more than 6 students from the town had represented the country in hockey in the Amsterdam (1928) and Berlin (1936) Olympics.
According to Gopal Bhardwaj, the students from Oak Grove and St.George's School, Richard Carr, George Eric Martin, C Carrol Tapsell, Willy J Cullen, Erin J Cullen and Elsey represented the country along with Major Dhyan Chand, considered wizard of hockey, in the gold medal winning Olympic team in 1928 and 1936.
The Mussoorie Sports Association president, Suresh Goyal, speaking on the occasion, said that the entite country was behind the Olympic team and was praying for their return with a rich haul of medals in these Olympics.
The students from Rama Devi School also sung the famous song from the film, “Chak De India,” depicting hockey, in order to motivate the Indian team.

Nishank, other BJP leaders meet Ramdev aide Balkrishan

Dehradun, July 28
With Yoga teacher Ramdev’s aide Bal Krishan lodged in the Dehradun jail, the Uttarakhand BJP leaders have utilised the opportunity to meet him to strengthen their association.
After former Chief Minister Bhagat Singh Koshiyari paid a visit two days ago, today it was the turn of former Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank to meet the jailed aide for one hour.
Later speaking with media persons, he criticised the manner in which Balkrishan was arrested. “The Central government has been misusing the premier investigating agency for it’s own political end. Why did the CBI take 16 years to detect the forgery,” he questioned.
He said the CBI action against Balkrishan was unwarranted and he is being targeted because the Central government is afraid of the agitation under way at Jan Mantar. “Baba Ramdev would be joining the dharna and the Central government is using every trick in the book to undermine the movement,” charged Nishank. In the initial years both the Congress and BJP governments had extended support to Ramdev but the Congress party began distancing itself after Ramdev began launching attacks on the Central leadership. “The BJP cannot disown Ramdev as he has the support of the RSS and the party is keen to project itself on the side of Ramdev, especially when his aide is in jail,” said a BJP leader.