Monthly Archives: February 2017

Singur movement ‘historic win’, to be part of school syllabus: West Bengal minister

About Kolkata / West Bengal, Education, Leaders, Records, All

The minister also said that by March 15 the government would complete the entire process of employing 72,000 teachers in primary, upper-primary, Madhyamik and Higher Secondary schools.

West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee addressing a rally at Singur in 2011. (Express archive)

The iconic Singur movement would be introduced in the history syllabus of schools run by the West Bengal government from this year, West Bengal education minister Partha Chatterjee today said.

The minister, who described the Singur movement as a “historic win” for the farmers, told a question-answer session in the Assembly that a chapter detailing the agitation would be included in the history syllabus of class eight.
Later, speaking to reporters, Chatterjee said, “It’s a historic win for the farmers. Along with the Singur movement, the Tebhaga movement and Krishak Andolan will also feature in the syllabus and students must know that this movement is one of the milestones in the country’s history.”

Chatterjee said that distribution of the books had already been started. After the Supreme Court verdict allowing redistribution of Singur land among farmers, the state education department had sent the proposal to the syllabus committee for approval of the inclusion of Singur movement in the Madhyamik school syllabus.

The minister also said that by March 15 the government would complete the entire process of employing 72,000 teachers in primary, upper-primary, Madhyamik and Higher Secondary schools.

He requested ‘opponents’ not to move court creating hurdles in the process of employment of teachers and said that his department was going through a verification process at present.

source: http://www.indianexpress.com / The Indian Express / Home> Education / by PTI / Kolkata – February 13th, 2017

Air to water device produces purer drinking water

Green Initiatives / Environment, Nature, Records, All, Science & Technology

Kolkata :

The technical report of the functioning of the air to drinking water converting machine have been submitted by state Public Health Engineering department engineers.

Results from the Central Testing Laboratory have shown that the quality of water that is produced by the machine is many times purer and better than the typical water purifier devices.

The Housing Infrastructure Development Corporation (Hidco) authorities are now planning to install a few such machines in different parts of New Town.

“A sample of water produced from the device was sent to the Central testing Laboratory through PHE engineers to find out how pure the water is. The water has been found to have purer quality than the normal water purifying devices. We are planning to install some such devices in Eco Park and other commercial spots,” said a Hidco official, adding that plans are on to install the device at the Mother’s Wax Museum canteen on a trial basis and a few other places like gate No.3 of Eco Park, police outposts, traffic signal kiosks and places inside Eco Park in phases.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News> City News> Kolkata News / by Suman Chakraborti / TNN / February 13th, 2017

Federation of Film Societies of India to felicitate Madhabi Mukherjee on her 75th birthday

Arts, Culture & Entertainment

Kolkata :

To mark the 75th birthday of veteran actress Madhabi Mukherjee, a special programme will be held on Saturday at Nandan. The Federation of Film Societies of India (FFSI) is hosting this programme along with Shilpi Sangsad and Nandan that will see a host of dignitaries speaking about the actress followed by a screening of “Baishey Srabon”.

While her remarkable prowess in acting has often been spoken about, what has hardly been highlighted is Mukherjee’s philanthropic nature.

Said her daughter Mimi Bhattacharya, “Maa would buy umpteen bottles of pickles sold by an ageing actress only to help her tide through crisis. There were times when we wouldn’t even need that much. Yet, she bought them because that was her way of helping the veteran actress.”

She was among the few who had extended financial help to Ray actor lying on his deathbed in a government hospital. During that time, she was invited to Sonagachhi to attend a programme organised to launch the Babu Samity.

Premendra Mazumdar, who is the former general secretary of the Federation of Film Societies of India, was also one of the speakers. Addressing the sex-workers, Mukherjee had given a fiery speech that day. “‘Both you and I work with our bodies. We use our bodies in a certain way when we perform as actors. You use your bodies differently in your profession. But never be ashamed of what you are doing,’ she had said,” recalled Mazumder.

During her speech, she had referred to how this actor was once in relationship with a lady from that area. “Suddenly, we saw a lady in the crowd weeping profusely. She was the one with whom he had had this relationship. Spontaneously, the girls collected money for his treatment. This lady then accompanied Madhabi-di back to the hospital and stayed there till he died,” recounted Mazumder.

Even her decision to join politics was driven by her urge to help the workers who had lost their job when the Star Theatre was gutted down by a fire. “Maa was crest-fallen. Along with Soumitra kaku (Soumitra Chatterjee), Maa had approached Buddhadeb Bhattacharya to see if something could be done. There were some litigation issues. But Buddhababu never informed her that he wouldn’t be able to do much. That hurt Maa a lot. Later on, when Subrata Mukherjee and Mamata Banerjee had approached maa to join politics, she had first asked if they would do anything for Star theatre. When they had said yes, she had counted 1,2,3 under her breath and said yes,” Mimi said. Losing the polls wasn’t an issue for her. “Maa had to contest against him and was ready to face the consequences,” Mimi said.

However, Mukherjee herself has never liked to highlight the way she has helped others. “It is not about only reaching out to people from the industry. I connect with human beings and try to do my bit to help them,” she said, happy that she has been able to make a difference in people’s lives.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News> City News> Kolkata News / TNN / February 10th, 2017

Diversity makes US great, says Nasa scientist from Kolkata

NRI's / PIO's, Science & Technology, World Opinion
Goutam Chattopadhyay.

Kolkata :

A jet propulsion scientist at Nasa who grew up in the suburbs of Kolkata believes America owes much of its success to immigrants.

“The driving force of America is the assimilation of people from all over the world; people who are talented and have used the opportunities to drive innovation. That is what makes America great,” said Goutam Chattopadhyay, who migrated to the ‘land of opportunities’ in 1992 and lived his dreams.

Growing up in utter poverty in Konnagar, Chattopadhyay was not allowed to sit in a Class III exam as his school fee (Rs 8) hadn’t been paid. Still, he finished second in class that year, the only time he did so as he topped his class right up to his engineering degree in Electronics & Telecommunication from BE College, Shibpur. He had even cracked IIT entrance exam but could not study since his family could not afford it.

From BE College, Chattopadhyay went to TIFR in 1987. That’s when his horizon widened. “Till then, I wasn’t sure what to do other than take up a job to support my family,” the senior scientist recounted. As a design engineer at the premier institute, he was part of the team that designed the Giant Meterwave Radio Telescope (GMRT). Chattopadhyay designed the Local Oscillator System that converts the signal that comes from the sky into lower frequency signal that is easier to process.

In 1992, he went to the US to pursue higher studies, doing his masters at the University of Virginia and then PhD at California Institute of Technology (Caltech). There, he was in the group that developed Terahertz that will come into commercial telephony when 5G is rolled out.

On completion of the PhD in 1999, he got a call from Nasa. “Looking back, it has been an amazing journey and it has been possible because the US has been welcoming. I don’t think Indian students will be affected by what is happening right now. These are short-term bumps. I hope this will not stop the flow of talent to the US,” he said.

Chattopadhyay is currently working on a project that could help President Donald Trump overcome some of the fears on homeland security. His team is using Terahertz to do a remote pat-down of suspects. A project for the department of Homeland security, it is a device that allows law enforcement agencies to remotely scan a person to detect guns or bombs hidden under the jacket. “It can work at a 30-40 metre distance and be of use in airports and stations,” he explained.

Talking of airports, Chattopadhyay missed the crowds waiting at LA airport to welcome immigrants to protest against Trump’s ban on seven Muslim-majority countries as a judge in Seattle had put a stay on the executive order a day before he took his flight to India. Though he wasn’t worried about taking this trip as there are no restrictions on travel from India, fellow colleagues in Nasa who hail from the countries under the scanner won’t risk a visit ‘home’ anytime soon.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News> City News> Kolkata News / TNN / February 09th, 2017