A pipe band, formed out of a group of inmates of the only borstal jail in Punjab, is gearing up to regale audiences at the Republic Day celebrations, next year. A group of 21 such inmates of ludhiana’s borstal jail are taking training to play pipes and drums, said Punjab”s Additional Director General of Police (ADGP-Prisons) Rajpal Meena. Borstal jails are detention centres meant to reform young delinquent people. The musical ensemble of pipers and drummers will perform at government functions and marriage parties and also on the coming Republic Day parade, he said. They are trying their hands on playing tunes like “Cook of the Nore”, “Evergreen March”, “Rajasthani slow march”, “Skyward song”, “Sare Jahan Se Acha” among others, he said. “Our purpose is to keep the young offenders busy and reintegrate them into the society once they are out of the jail after serving their sentence. This will also help them in getting employment after their term is over,” Meena said. “The pipe band team will not only perform at Government functions, but private parties and marriages as well for performances, which they will be paid for,” he said. This endeavor as part of jail norms to reform and rehabilitate inmates in the age group of 18-21 years, which was stopped over two decades ago in Punjab, has been revived some three months ago, he said. Our effort is to impart creativity among inmates and make them self-sustainable, Meena said, adding that prisoners with good conduct, and those who have not jumped their parole, and are willing, have been taken into this band.