Citygritty 8212; Pune

India abroad
Travel always broadens the mind and what better way to help youngsters widen their mental horizons than this? The Fergusson College initiated a student exchange programme two years back where Indian students were given the opportunity to travel to Germany and learn about their cultures while the German students came to India to do the same. This year 18 students from Fergusson College and the Marathwada Mitra Mandal College left for Germany on May 22, for a three-week stay. The Indian students will organise a small cultural programme and demonstrate various art forms like rangoli, mehendi , Indian dances and so on. As Prof Sharmishtha Kher, head of the German department, puts it, 8220;These student exchange programmes promote peace and friendship in a tension ridden world.8221; A peace that is desperately needed.

Singing roles
An eventful evening is in store for music buffs on May 29 at the Manohar Mangal Karyalaya. Gaanvardhan, the music training institute, has organised a programme featuring singer Pranati Mhatre called Ashtanayikanchi sangitik anubhuti. 8220;The ashtanayika or eight feminine roles discussed in the Natyashastra 8211; Bharatmuni8217;s treatise on dance 8211; have found expression in sculpture, art and dance. Pranati Mhatre will demonstrate the roles of the ashtanayika through her renditions of the dadra and thumri,8221; says K.G. Dharmadhikari, chairman, Gaanvardhan. It is no news that pagers have gone beyond just personal messages. Cricket scores and requests for blood during emergency are regularly flashed and most pager owners do not mind them.

However this also presents a platform that advertisers seem to have cashed on. A pool table entrepreneur thinks it fit to announce the unchanged rates for his pool tables, despite the recent increase in charges enforced by the state government. Or a car dealer informs the potential client about easy car finance offers. The list is long. So, now every time that your pager beeps, it need not necessarily be a message from people you know. Somebody may be just trying to sell smart and quick!