A suspended employee of the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) set himself on fire at the corporation's headquarters at Mumbai Central this morning.

According to the Nagpada police, Rajendra Prabhakar Sarkhide (27) who was suspended from service in 1997 barged into the office and demanded to be reinstated. When the corporation authorities declined he set himself on fire. He has been admitted to the Nair Hospital with 100 per cent burns and his condition was stated to be critical.

Oculoplastic symposium

The Bombay Ophthalmologists' Association and Jaslok Hospital & Research Centre will hold a workshop-cum-symposium `Oculoplastic `99' at Jaslok Hospital on March 13 and 14. Among the foreign delegates are British oculoplastic surgeon J R C Collin and Dr Tim Sullivan from Australia. The surgeons will perform a live surgery at Jaslok on March 14. For details, contact Jaslok at 15, Dr G Deshmukh Marg, Mumbai-400026. Call on 4933333/4963333;email Jaslok @giasbm01.vsnl.net.in

Workshops on better living

The Yoga Abhyas Samadhi Ashram will hold workshops on `Better Health and Life' through Pranayam and meditation between march 13 and 21. The teaching and training techniques are based on Patanjali Yoga Sutra. The venue for the workshops, to be held from 6 to 9.15 pm, is Mahatma Gandhi Seva Mandir, opposite Bandra Lake, S V Road, Bandra (W). For further information, contact PH Business Centre, Dwarka Ashish, 2nd Floor, 6/8, Jambul Wadi, Kalbadevi Road. Call on 2062799 or 2084689.

Workshop on kidney diseases

The National Kidney Foundation is having a workshop on Kidney Diseases - Prevention, Dialysis and Transplant on Saturday, March 13 at 3.30 pm at Tarabai Hall, opposite Foundation's office, under Marine Drive Flyover, Marine Drive. For more information, call on 2814892.

PUCL awards announced

The People's Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) has selected K R Meera of Malayala Manorama, Kottayam, and Jyoti Punwani ofMid-Day, Mumbai, for the 18th `PUCL Journalism for Human Rights award' for the year 1998. Punwani bagged the award for her coverage of violence during the recent years in Mumbai, a PUCL release said.