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Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Scattered violence in BNP's nationwide 'Hartal' in Bangladesh

Anbarasan Ethirajan, BBC News, Dhaka, 30 November : Bangladesh police have clashed with protesters in the capital Dhaka as a nationwide strike brought much of the country to a halt. The 24-hour industrial action shut schools and businesses, including crucial garment export shipments. The main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) called the walkout in protest at "misrule" by the Awami-League led government. BNP leader Khaleda Zia, the former PM, was evicted from her home this month. Tuesday's was the second opposition-led strike in the last fortnight.
'Political vengeance' Police used batons to disperse a group of opposition supporters near the BNP headquarters in the capital. Thousands of policemen were deployed across the country to prevent violence, said the authorities. The BNP said more than 1,000 party members and activists had been taken into custody in the days leading up to the latest walkout. It comes a day after the Supreme Court rejected an appeal by Khaleda Zia against her eviction from her military-owned home. The house was leased to Ms Zia, a year after the assassination of her husband, former president General Zia-ur-Rahman, in a military coup in 1981. The government said the lease was illegal, a finding upheld by the high court. Zia's supporters argue that the government's decision is political vengeance. The strike halted garment exports, which account for over 80% of Bangladesh's total exports. Photos : UNB
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No 'interim council' for Darjeeling hills, says CM Buddhadeb
Kolkata, 30 November : Reacting to the recent call for a two-day bandh in the Darjeeling hills by the Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM) from 21 December if the agreement for setting up an interim regional authority is not signed by then, Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee said here on Tuesday that no interim council will be set up unless the people vote on it. “The GJM, merely by demanding the setting up of a committee (an interim council) does not mean that one will be set up. Not a single election has been held, not a single vote cast. Such things do not happen in a democracy. Whether the people want the GJM at all needs to be proved through elections,” he said. Bhattacharjee who was speaking at a Left Front rally in the city to highlight the issues of separatist movements in north Bengal, the Maoist affected Jangalmahal region and the ecologically fragile Sunderbans also criticised the Trinamool Congress for “joining hands with those who were trying to break up the State.”
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WB government to spend 120 Cr on tourism development
Joy Roy Choudhury, Kolkata, 30 November : Taking a cue from states like Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, and the Incredible India campaign of the Union Tourism Ministry, the West Bengal Tourism Department has now decided to appoint an advertising agency for its brand-building exercise. West Bengal Tourism has decided to spend over '20 crore to upgrade tourism destinations and create new tourism circuits in the state and would invest another '10 crore in publicity and promotional campaigns.
Manabendra Mukherjee, the state tourism minister, held a preliminary discussion with Madhukar Sabnavis, country head (Discovery & Planning), Ogilvy & Mather. Sabnavis was in Kolkata recently to speak at the CII organised seminar titled 'Towards Tourism Excellence-Creating, Branding and Marketing Destinations'. Mukherjee said, “This is the initiation process. We are looking forward to a brand-building exercise for tourism with the help of a consultant. Today we had preliminary discussions with one such agency”.
O&M has been associated with famous advertising campaigns, like 'Incredible India' campaign of the Union Tourism Ministry and Madhya Pradesh Tourism’s 'Hindustan Ka Dil Dekho' campaign. O&M was also responsible for successfully promoting Gujarat with Amitabh Bachchan as the brand ambassador. Mukherjee pointed out that O&M and other potential consultants would be first asked to draw up a roadmap around which his department would build a brand strategy. “Piyush Pandey, the India head of O&M, would be visiting Kolkata soon to take things forward. Both parties are quite interested in seeing this through,” said Manab Pal, chairman of CII’s subcommittee on tourism. “The government has started making the investment to develop various tourism destinations,” said TVN Rao, MD, West Bengal Tourism Development Corporation. He pointed out that the number of accredited tour operators in the state is only three, as compared to Delhi's 285 and Maharashtra's 14. Speaking at the seminar, Rajeev Kholi, vice chairman, India Convention Promotion Bureau and Jt MD, Creative Travel, New Delhi said, “Places like the Sunderbans and Darjeeling in Bengal have huge growth potential, if marketed properly." Nakul Anand, divisional chief executive (Hotels), ITC stressed upon different issues like sustainability, environmental issues, etc. Photos : Files, Avijit Mondal
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Monday, November 29, 2010

We'll tackle Trinamool like we handled Congs, Naxals : Buddha

Burdwan, 29 November : CPI(M) will emerge victorious over Trinamool Congress' "politics of violence and murder"as it had fought Congress '"misrule" in the 70s and the Naxalite movement in West Bengal, Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee today claimed.
"We successfully fought Congress misrule, the violence of the Naxals and now we have taken on the Trinamool and its accomplice - the Maoists. We will surely win,"Bhattacharjee told a rally of CPI(M)'s youth wing DYFI here. Lambasting TMC for blocking the state's industrialisation by resisting Tata's Nano project at Singur, he asked partymen to be vigilant about the sinister design of Mamata Banerjee's party to create unrest through its politics of violence and murder.
"We have in our state a totally irresponsible Opposition party (Trinamool Congress) which has hatched a plot to create total lawlessness and unrest and to foil any development. We have to be prepared to ensure that there is no conspiracy to undo our efforts for industrialisation", he said. Photo : Dipankar Chattterjee

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Zia's BNP enforces countrywide daylong hartal tomorrow
Dhaka, 29 November : Bangladesh opposition BNP is set to enforce countrywide dawn to dusk hartal (general strike) tomorrow protesting the government failures, misrule and repression on political opponents.
Jamaat, IOJ, BJP - partners of BNP led 4-party alliance - and likeminded parties including Khelafat Majlis, JAGPA, NPP, NDP, NAP, NAP (Bhasani) and Labour Party extended total support to the hartal called by BNP.
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Bangladesh Supreme court upholds Khaleda Zia's eviction
Dhaka, 29 November : Bangladesh's opposition leader Khaleda Zia Monday lost her appeal before the country's Supreme Court against her eviction by the government from her Dhaka cantonment house.
The apex court dismissed the leave-to-appeal petition filed by the former prime minister. The petition challenged the Dhaka High Court verdict earlier that had declared valid the government notice asking her to leave the Dhaka cantonment residence. Zia had lived in that house since 1972. The three-member full bench of the Appellate Division headed by Chief Justice A.B.M. Khairul Haq also turned down the petitions filed by Zia for staying the higher court verdict and seeking status quo over the house issue.
The court verdict could be a major political setback for her as she plans a dawn-to-dusk strike Tuesday against the Sheikh Hasina government. Photo : UNB

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Gyaneshwari : CBI submits charge sheet to 23 PCAPA men
Kolkata, 29 November : The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Monday submitted its charge sheet to a court in the 28 May Gyaneshwari Express accident, holding the pro-Maoist tribal Peoples' Committee Against Police Atrocities (PCAPA) responsible for the crash in which 148 people were killed.
The CBI, which took over the case from the state police's Criminal Investigation Department (CID) following repeated demand of Railways Minister Mamata Banerjee, submitted a 103-page charge sheet in the West Midnapore district court against 23 senior members of PCAPA.

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Centre denying coal royalty to West Bengal : Dr Dasgupta
Steel Guru, 29 November : Dr Asim Dasgupta finance minister of West Bengal blamed the centre for its partisan behavior and for denial of coal royalty amounting to over INR 4,800 crore.
Dr Dasgupta met the union finance minister, Mr Pranab Mukherjee and sought the release of funds.... READ FULL STORY

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Geological Survey of India found coal reserves in Tripura
IANS, Agartala, 29 November : The Geological Survey of India (GSI) has found huge coal reserves in the northeastern state of Tripura, officials said here Monday.
“We have found coal reserves of sub-bitumen grade (in the third layer of the earth) in five locations of Tripura,” GSI Tripura-Mizoram region director T. Rajakumar told IANS. He said the sample of the coal has been sent to the Coal India laboratory in Kolkata for testing. “We are expecting the laboratory testing report of the collected sample within a month,” the official said.

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Hasina, Kan hold summit talks : Japanese PM assures Hasina of standing by Bangladesh
UNB, Tokyo, 29 November : Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan has assured Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina of by Bangladesh in its quest for a “Digital Bangladesh” and achieving the position of a middle income country by fulfilling “Vision 2021.”
The assurance came when the two Prime Ministers held summit-level talks at the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) on Monday evening. “Earlier, we had an excellent meeting where we identified new areas of cooperation, besides ways to expand and strengthen the existing ones. I am convinced Japan and her generous people will stand by our side in our quest for a “Digital Bangladesh,” the Prime Minister said at the official banquet hosted by the Japanese PM that took place at the PMO after the summit talks.
The Prime Minister said they had an excellent meeting where they identified new areas of cooperation, besides ways to expand and strengthen the existing ones. Hasina also said an Economic Partnership Agreement between Bangladesh and Japan now could help reap mutual benefits by exploiting much of the two countries’ untapped potentials.
“I take this opportunity to request you to encourage Japanese investors to invest in investment friendly Bangladesh,” the Prime Minister said. They could relocate their not-so-profitable industries to Bangladesh, which is now being considered the second most profitable economy among South Asian countries, she said. Photo : Reuters

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Trinamool Congress demands CM Buddhadeb’s resignation
Kolkata, 29 November : Trinamool Congress Monday demanded the resignation of West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee after he asked his party cadres to shun arrogance and admitted that the ruling Left Front was getting alienated due to the ‘arrogance’ of some cadres.
‘When Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee himself has admitted that the tendency of leaders and cadres to boss over the common people has alienated them from the masses, then he should resign as chief minister taking moral responsibility,’ said Trinamool heavyweight and opposition leader Partha Chatterjee.
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Villagers complain of police torture in West Midnapore dist
Rik Sundar Sasmal, Jhargram, 29 November : Villagers in West Midnapore district have complained that police are subjecting them to torture on the suspicion that they are Maoists.
Villagers complained that they are not allowed to go to the nearby forests to collect leaves and other forest produce. Most of the villagers earn their livelihood by collecting leaves for making plates, bowls and hand-rolled cheroots.
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BRU militants in uniform traced to Tripura 'refugee camps'
PTI, Aizawl, 29 November : Suspected Bru militants who had looted cash and valuables from two trucks at Kanhmun village along Mizoram-Tripura border came from the relief camps of the Bru refugees in Tripura, police said today.
The militants in army uniform, armed with AK-47 assault rifles, intercepted the trucks carrying cinnamon and decamped after forcibly taking Rs 3,000, vehicle documents and mobile phones from the truckers on Saturday, Superintendent of Police of Mamit district, Dingluaia said. He said Bru militants had planned to attack an India Reserve Police outpost at Kolalian last week, but the attempt was foiled after the arrest of three rebels who were sent to recee the outpost.
Security has been beefed up along the Mizoram border with Tripura and Assam after the two incidents and police parties were sent to patrol the border areas.

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Kolkata based Bengali filmmakers eye 'Bangladeshi market'
Indo-Bangla production 'Moner Manush' releasing on 3 Dec
IANS, Panaji, 29 November : It may seem overpopulated, poor and conflict ridden to some, but Bangladesh is a new beacon of light for Bengali filmmakers from India seeking to expand their market.
Noted Bengali filmmaker Gautam Ghose, whose films like "Paar" and "Yatra" have been critically hailed, says his team has managed to crack the Bangladesh distribution market barrier for the first time since 1952, with his film "Moner Manush", an India-Bangladesh production.

We are glad to have broken the barrier. Earlier, both the Kolkata film industry and the Bangladesh (film) industry were frogs in their wells. A strange communal feeling works here, Ghose told reporters in Panaji on the sidelines of the 41st International Film Festival of India (IFFI).
In the past, the industry could not generate a market. Young distributors, however, are now looking beyond the borders in places like Bangladesh and other parts of the world, Ghose said, adding the Bengali-speaking Bangladeshis were scattered in large numbers across the world.
Nearly 110 prints of 'Moner Manush' have been released worldwide. It will have a big release even in Bangladesh, Ghose said, adding that being an Indo-Bangladesh co-production helped a big deal to distribute and market the film in the other country.
The partition was a great tragedy and a terrible part of history for both countries. But the younger generations do not have a sense of partition. We must use films and the arts to bridge the gap (between the people of the two nations), Ghose said.
If Ghose already made inroads into the Bangladeshi film market, other filmmakers and production houses have already picked up cue, and are looking at ways to breach the Bangladesh barrier. Somnath Gupta, whose film "Ami Aadu" was also screened at IFFI, said the Bangladesh film market was in his sight. That is the way forward. It is such obvious Bengali speaking market. We are making efforts to release the film simultaneously there, said Gupta.

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Sunday, November 28, 2010

Bangladesh wants to set up permanent missions in all countries

UNB, Tokyo, 28 November : Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday said her government wants to establish Bangladesh’s permanent missions in all countries concerned to intensify the countries diplomatic activities.
“We’ve already decided to set up embassies or local consul offices in 16 countries which will also provide permanent address for the expatriate Bangladeshis,” she said after laying the foundation stone of Bangladesh Embassy building here this morning. The embassy building will be constructed on 714 sq meter and completed by June 2012.
Speaking on the occasion, Hasina said that her government wants to ensure opportunities for Bangladeshis both at home and abroad so they can contribute to make Bangladesh a modern and digital country. She mentioned that the government is constructing mission offices in four countries including the office in Japan. Photo : Reuters

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Buddhadeb asks CPI(M) party workers to shun 'arrogance'
IANS, Barrackpore, 28 November : Blaming a section of party workers for the debacle of the CPI(M) in recent elections, West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee Sunday asked the cadres to shun arrogance as this would further alienate the common people from the party.
“It’s true that in the last Lok Sabha elections people have voted against us. A section of party workers and leaders have tried to act as a boss over the common people. We have taken action against them. Don’t try to act like a boss over the common man,” said Bhattacharjee while addressing a public rally at Barrackpore in North 24 Paraganas district. “If you want to act as a boss over the common man then you have to go out of the party. If common people say something then you have to give a patient hearing to it,” he said.
The Congress-Trinamool Congress alliance defeated the ruling Left Front led by CPI(M) in the last Lok Sabha elections, winning more than two-thirds of the state’s Lok Sabha seats. Photos : Dip Majumdar

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GJM calls bandh from 21Dec if Interim Con' not introduced
UNI, Siliguri, 28 November : Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM) today called for a 48-hour bandh in the hills from 21 December if Interim Council is not introduced by 20 December. Announcing this at a rally in Chowk Bazar area of Darjeeling, GJM president Bimal Gurung said, ''Meeting, rally and public gathering from 4 to 20 December will be held, demanding imposition of Interim Council in the hills.
''A massive movement will be launched for a separate state here from 22 November,'' he added. ''Lands of tea gardens will have to be brought under the Interim Council,'' he added. Meanwhile, Gokha National Liberation Front (GNLF) president Subhash Ghising, who is in Siliguri now, told reporters that he will soon visit the hills.
Stating that he was against the Interim Council, Ghising said ''Sixth Schedule is the only solution to the raging Darjeeling issue.'' The hill would get more benefits if Sixth Schedule came into being instead of the Interim Council, he opined. ''The GNLF will regain power in the hills after 2011,'' Ghising claimed. File Photo : AFP

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Coast Guard nabs Myanmarese boat, 15 poachers in A&N
PTI, Chennai, 28 November : Indian Coast Guard has apprehended a Myanmarese boat with 15 poachers off Andaman and Nicobar islands.
"During routine surveillance of Northern group of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Coast Guard ship Durgabhai Deshmukh apprehended a Myanmarese boat off Interview Island at 2.15am on 27 November, a Coast Guard press release said. The boat was towed to Diglipur Harbour in Andaman and the poachers were handed over to police for further action, it said. The Coast Guard ship has so far apprehended six boats with 51 Myanmarese poachers. In the last eight months, 26 ships have been apprehended, including 242 foreign poachers, the release added.

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Kashmiri separatist leader Mirwaiz U faces attack in Kolkata
'POTA' effective in fighting terrorism in Kashmir : Farooq A.
Kolkata, 28 November : After facing a severe attack fron Kashmiri Pandits at Chandigarh, "Hurriyat Conference" Chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farook has faced another protest in Kolkata on Sunday.
Mirwaiz Umar Farook was greeted by protest from Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) supporters while he attended a seminar in Kolkota. Police arrested more than fifteen BJP workers in connection with the protest. Earlier, on Thursday, 25 November, Mirwaiz was attacked by Kashmiri Pandits and activists of Hindu groups for so-called anti-India speech.
In this seminar, Union Minister and former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister, Farooq Abdullah said that laws like the Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA) would be effective in fighting terrorism.

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WB govt must come clean on Rajarhat: Left Front partners
PTI, Kolkata, 28 November : Two major ruling Left Front partners, RSP and Forward Bloc have said West Bengal government must come clean on the land controversy at Rajharhat, a fast growing township on the outskirts of the metropolis conceived during chief ministership of Jyoti Basu.
"We should steer clear of the controversy. It should be transparent how land was acquired at Rajarhat from the mid 1990s and whether force was applied and at what price the land was acquired and sold," RSP leader and the state PWD minister Kshiti Goswami told PTI on the allegation by Trinamool Congress that the government bought the land at a throwaway price and sold it at a premium.
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10 PCJSS members held with arms in Rangamati hill rigion
UNB, Rangamati, 28 November : Ten members of Parbattya Chattagram Jana Sanghati Samity (PCJSS) along with arms were arrested from Hazaribag Cremation Ghat in Sadar upazila on Saturday.
Acting on a tip-off, a joint team of police and army personnel raided the area at about 4pm when the miscreants fired on the team sensing their arrival. The security men also fired back, which forced the criminals to surrender. One SMG, one pistol, four guns, 36 bullets, documents and other materials were recovered from the possessions of the arrested.

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Director Bidyut Sarkar to make film on "Mamata Banerjee"
ANI, Kolkata, 28 November : A Bengali filmmaker has decided to make a film based on the political life of Union Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee. Director Bidyut Sarkar will begin the shooting for the film on 4 December. The film's budget is 10 million rupees.
The film, in which the protagonist is called Maya Banerjee, will trace Banerjee's life from the early 1970s to the 2011 provincial assembly polls. "I wanted to do a political film and Didi's (Mamta Banerjee) character impressed me a lot. Actually, I am a big fan of hers. That's why I came up with this story. It was a novel earlier, but my friends insisted on converting it into a film. I am making this film with the title 'Didi'," said Sarkar.
"Story starts from 1970s and ends up with the political scenario in 2011, covering all the political incidents of Bengal of Sainbadi, Suchpur, Keshpur, Shingur, Nandigram, Kolkata, her 26 days fast, everything," he added. Actress Ruma Chakrabarty has been offered the role of Mamata Banerjee for her build, which is similar to Banerjee's.
Chakrabarty said she is excited to play the role of such a popular personality. "I was very excited when I got the film and this character of Mamata Banerjee to play as she is very famous. Even a two-year-old child knows who she is. Then Bidyut Babu told me to study how she speaks, her mannerisms. I started viewing news channels and I'm practicing very hard," she said. File Photo : AFP

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Saturday, November 27, 2010

CM Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee slams Congress for rising poverty

Basirhat, 27 November : Congress is "totally responsible" for the ever growing divide between the rich and poor in the country where millionaires and impoverished live side-by-side, West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee said today.
"Along with world's largest number of poor, hungry and illiterate in our country, you can find the richest crorepatis. It is the Congress which is totally responsible for this situation," Bhattacharjee told a Left Front rally here in North 24 Parganas district. Without referring to the ongoing scandals, Bhattacharjee said "We know how the government is being run in Delhi by the Congress which is the party of the rich people."
The CPI(M) leader alleged the Centre of remaining indifferent to the state government's repeated pleas for assistance in sustaining the public distribution system. File Photo

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Public transports will be made smoking free : Transport sec
Dhaka, 27 November : No-smoking stickers will be mandatory for obtaining fitness certificates of public transports, the communications secretary has said.
Mohammad Mozammel Haque Khan made the announcement on Saturday from a seminar at the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority auditorium. The seminar was jointly organised by BRTA, Work for a Better Bangladesh (WBB) Trust and Bangladesh Tamak Birodhi Jote (anti-tobacco alliance). The secretary said there are allegations against bus and three wheeler drivers of smoking inside the vehicle, though it is forbidden by law.

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126 people 'lynched' in 2010 in Bangladesh : Media report
Dhaka, 27 November : A total of 126 people have been lynched in Bangladesh this year, which indicates people are losing trust in the authorities’ capability to book law breakers, a media report said Saturday.
The repeated incidents of lynching and the attackers’ ferocity are causing concern among lawmen, psychologists and sociologists who believe people are taking law into their own hands because their confidence in law enforcement agencies and the justice delivery system is waning, the New Age said Saturday. Police are concerned at the rising number of incidence of mob justice. Investigations in such cases make little progress due to lack of confidence in them shown by the people engaged in it.
According to human rights watchdog Odhikar, 119 people were killed in mob beating during January-September this year. Seven more were added to the toll in the last six weeks.

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Loan fraud won’t hit LIC investors: Pranab
PTI, Thrissur, 27 November : Indian Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee on Saturday assured investors in the Life Insurance Corporation of India that they would not lose any money because of the housing finance racket involving the CEO of the state-run insurer’s subsidiary, LIC Housing Finance, and some top bank officials.
Asserting that those officials involved in the racket would not be allowed to escape, he said, “There is no cause for any anxiety for investors as not even a single paisa would be lost by them due to an aberration of one or two officers in the organisation.” “LIC is very strong and stable. It is too big an institution and its smooth functioning will not be affected by aberrations of one or two officers of the organisation”, Mukherjee said while inaugurating the 109th divisional office of the LIC in Thrissur.
The Minister said no guilty person would be allowed to escape from the process of law and stern action would be taken against them. Earlier this week, the CBI arrested top officials of the LIC and its affiliates as also other banks and financial institutions for granting corporate loans in lieu of grafts. Photo : PTI
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Terms of Govt-ULFA talks being worked out : Raju Baruah
PTI, Guwahati, 27 November : The ULFA leadership has discussed the modalities for peace talks which would be made public soon, ULFA “Deputy Commander-in-Chief” Raju Baruah said after being released from jail on Saturday.
“A positive atmosphere has already been created with the government not opposing our bail and we hope a respectable solution will be soon found,” the ULFA leader told reporters after he arrived to a warm welcome at his home in Charia in Nalbari district after being released from the Guwahati Central Jail. “During the last 25 years of my involvement with the ULFA, I have never asked the people of the State to pick up the gun but now I appeal to them to help us resolve the issue,” he said.
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Over 100 BNP men held across the country ahead of hartal
UNB, Dhaka, 27 November : Police arrested over 100 leaders and activists of BNP and its front organizations from separate places of the country Friday and Saturday ahead of Tuesday’s countrywide hartal.
Besides, around 80 hartal supporters were injured in clashes with police in separate places of the country. In Barisal, at least 30 leaders and activists of BNP and its front organizations were injured in police baton charge on a procession brought out in Barisal town in support of hartal. Witnesses said when BNP leaders and activists led by ex MP Abul Hossain Khan and joint convenor of district BNP unit Abul Kalam Shaheen tried to enter the district and city BNP office ahead of brining out a procession as part of their hartal at about 10:45 am police obstructed them and chased them.
Police arrested BNP leader Mantu Khan and general secretary of ward 29 JCD unit Maniruzzaman. When the BNP activists tried to bring out another procession at 11 am police charge baton on them to foil their attempt. Photo : UNB

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Private practice by government medics be stopped-Lawyers
Agartala, 27 November : The Tripura Bar Association (TBA) today demanded that private practice by the government doctors be stopped and the presence of senior doctors be ensured round-the-clock in heathcare units including Agartala Government Medical College (AGMC).
Senior member of TBA and Bar Council of India (BCI) Advocate Arun Chandra Bhowmik alleged that no senior doctor was spotted in the hospital after lunch, saying the serious patients were attended by junior doctors and interns.

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Railway Minister Mamata congratulates "Railway players"
PTI, New Delhi, 27 November : Indian Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee today congratulated sports persons from Indian Railways for their performance at the Asian Games in Guangzhou describing it as "outstanding".
A total of 113 sports persons from Indian Railways, participating as part of the Indian contingent at the 16th edition of the event in the Chinese city have so far won 14 medals for the country including 7 gold, one silver and six bronze. The Railways contingent in the Indian squad was the biggest contingent from a single organization in the country.

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One among 4 abducted people escapes from NLFT ultras
UNI, Agartala, 27 November : One of the four people, who were abducted by National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT) ultras from Patlongraipara village in Kanchanpur of North Tripura yesterday, has managed to escape from the clutches from the rebels.
Police today said the person who managed to escape had been identified as Mankishore Nath (21), adding the rest - Billal Miah (45), Sadhan Nath (20) and Jiban Nath (22) - were still held in captivity. They were abducted by armed militants at gun-point.

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Illegal construction posing natural disaster threat to WBhills
ANI, Darjeeling, 27 November : The massive construction of high-rise buildings, a majority of them illegal, has led to a degradation of the soil texture in the Darjeeling Hills area, and has made the place vulnerable to landslides, feel experts.
A series of landslides has hit Darjeeling and its surrounding areas since May 2009, triggered off by overnight rains and floods. Local builders seem to have ignored this threat and public concern. Talking to media persons about the problem, West Bengal Urban Development and Municipal Affairs Minister Ashok Bhattacharya said the state government has asked the local civic body to take measures to curb illegal construction.
"There is no reason behind the illegal construction. The builders are violating the rules. There is no fear of government in Darjeeling. Nobody has been caught till now. Now, the situation is improving. The situation will only improve when the municipal authorities work together with the local people," said Bhattacharya.
Geologists say the construction of unauthorized buildings coupled with improper drainage systems has led to landslides in the region in the past. "Since the end of 1970s and beginning of 1980s, there has been a real estate boom in all countries, and Darjeeling is no exception. There are now innumerable high-rise buildings, and, I do not know whether a building restriction rule still exists. There is no one to look after this. I do not know how they (the builders) are getting no objection certificates for constructing eight to nine-storeyed buildings in the hills," said Subir Sarkar, a meteorological expert.
Situated at a height of 2,134 meters, Darjeeling was developed as a hill station by the British, who wanted to escape the heat of the plains.

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Friday, November 26, 2010

Bangladesh cricketers wins maiden 'Asian Games' Gold medal

ESPNcricinfo, Guangzhou, 26 November : Bangladesh's cricketers won their country its first-ever gold medal in the Asian Games by beating Afghanistan in a thrilling final in Guangzhou. In a see-saw match that attracted a crowd of 2000, 19-year-old Shabbir Rahman smashed two sixes in the penultimate over to decisively swing the match Bangladesh's way and dash Afghan hopes of a gold.
A day after upsetting fancied Pakistan in the semi-finals, Afghanistan looked set for a hammering when they slid to 66 for 6 in the 13th over on choosing to bat. Youngsters Asghar Stanikzai (38*) and Shabir Noori (25) then gave Afghanistan's chances a boost with a stabilising stand that left Bangladesh needing 120 for victory.

Bangladesh almost made a mess of what should have been a straightforward chase, losing five wickets, including that of their experienced captain Mohammad Ashraful, for 75. Afghanistan were scenting another famous win but were denied by the pair of allrounder Naeem Islam, who is looking to secure a permanent spot in the Bangladesh side, and Rahman, a legspinner who was part of the squad for this year's Under-19 World Cup in New Zealand. With 19 needed off the final two overs, Bangladesh were the underdogs but they clubbed 17 runs of the 19th over from offspinner Karim Sadiq, who had excellent figures of 2-0-10-2 before that, to transform the game.
"I had a good talk with Naeen before the 19th over and we went for it," Shabbir said. "Luckily, it came good. There was no pressure on me, but I am sure my team-mates in the dressing room were tense."
Ashraful admitted he had given up hope towards the end. "I was feeling a bit low but then Shabbir came and did the job for us," he said. "There was a bit of pressure because Afghanistan are a very good side and this was our first major final."
Cricket has been Bangladesh's most productive sporting discipline at the Asian Games so far - besides the men's gold, they have won silver in the women's competition. They have only one other medal in the Asian Games so far, a bronze in kabaddi. Photos : AP, Reuters

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West Bengal pays tribute to 26/11's terror attack victims
Kolkata, 26 November : West Bengal today paid tributes to those killed in the 26/11 terror attacks in Mumbai with Governor M K Narayanan laying a wreath at the police memorial in the maidan here.
The Governor led the state in paying tributes. State's DGP Naparajit Mukherjee and top city and state police officers were among those who paid homage to the 166 martyrs. Kolkata police has organised a rally from north gate of the Victoria Memorial to the citizen's park in memory of the terror victims.

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Assam CM requests PM to form tech team on dam projects
PTI, Guwahati, 26 November : Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi today appealed to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to form a technical team comprising seismologists and hydro electric project experts to examine the possible downstream effects of the mega dam project of lower Subansiri in Arunachal Pradesh.
Gogoi, who called on the Prime Minister in New Delhi, said the technical team was necessary to allay fears raised by various organisations in the state of adverse downstream effects in Assam. Singh assured Gogoi that he would constitute an expert committee to allay apprehensions in the minds of the people, an official release said here.
Gogoi also requested Singh to take up with the Chinese government the issue of building of hydro-electric projects on River Tsangpo and whether it would cause water scarcity in Assam.

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India government unveils Rs 3,300 cr plan for "Naxal" dists
PTI, New Delhi, 26 November : With an aim of tackling naxalism through development, the government has unveiled a special Rs 3300 crore action plan in 60 affected tribal and backward districts across nine states.
The Integrated Action Plan (IAP) is intended to provide immediate redressal to problems of the people in tribal and backward districts in the sector like healthcare, drinking water, education and roads.
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WB Government's 10 % reservation for "MBC challenged"
Kolkata, 26 November : Calcutta High Court today admitted a PIL challenging West Bengal government's decision to allot an additional 10 per cent quota to Most Backward Classes (MBC).
A division bench comprising Chief Justice J N Patel and Justice Asim Roy directed the West Bengal government to file an affidavit stating its position within four weeks. The petition claimed that the reservation in the garb of MBC was given to Muslim minority castes, many of which were above the prescribed criteria.
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Mizoram to discontinue Bru repatriation from North Tripura
PTI, Aizawl, 26 November : The Mizoram government has decided to discontinue the ongoing repatriation of Bru refugees from six relief camps in North Tripura district in the wake of reported protests by anti-deportation elements.
A meeting of senior officials, chaired by state Home Minister R Lalzirliana here yesterday took the decision, even as 101 Bru families have returned to Mizoram in two phases of the repatriation since November three, home department officials today said.
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Plan panel to examine states’ complaints on Finance Comi
Agartala, 26 November : Indian Planning Commission has constituted a high level committee to look into complaints that the 13th Finance Commission (2010-2015) has deprived many states like Tripura of its resources, a state minister said Friday.
“The 13th Finance Commission has deprived the special category states, including northeastern states, in recommending its awards and recommendations,” Tripura Finance Minister Badal Chaudhury told reporters.
“In view of the unjustified recommendations of the TFC, the resource-starved states have been facing severe financial crisis. We are now eagerly awaiting the proposal of the Planning Commission constituted committee, formed recently,” Chaudhury said.

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Hasina requests Belgian govt to recruit skilled sailors, etc.
UNB, Brussels, 26 November : Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has requested the Belgian government to recruit skilled sailors, and skilled manpower for IT and other related sectors from Bangladesh.
“I believe there is good scope for Belgium in Bangladesh’s shipbuilding industry, IT, energy and infrastructure sectors,” she said when she met Belgian Prime Minister Yves Leterme at his residence on Thursday evening. Briefing newsmen after the meeting, Prime Minister’s Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad said Sheikh Hasina also requested the Belgian government to import frozen fish, RMG products, bicycles, spare parts, pharmaceuticals, jute products, ceramics, and leather products in larger volume.
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10 poachers surrender in Assam's Kaziranga National Park
PTI, Guwahati, 26 November : Ten poachers today surrendered before forest authorities following an ultimatum served by the villagers in Assam's Kaziranga National Park.
Three fringe villages around the park, a world heritage site and home to the highly endangered one-horned rhinos, had served an ultimatum to 12 poachers who were hiding inside the forest to surrender a week back. Ten of them surrendered and deposited one .303 rifle, a nine mm pistol and 39 rounds of ammunition.
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6 nation expedition traces Brahmaputra
Kolkata, 26 November : A six-nation rafting-cum-trekking expedition has successfully covered 3,000 km from the source of the river Brahmaputra in Tibet to its delta in the Bay of Bengal.

The 14-member team - comprising seven Indians, one Swiss, three Czechs, a new Zealander, an American and a German - took part in the first ever exploration on foot and by using inflatable boats of the river that flows through three nations - China, India and Bangladesh. "The aim of our expedition is to focus worldwide attention on riverine ecology as also the livelihood and culture of the people living near the river banks," said Swiss team leader Andy Leeman, after reaching the city in three inflated boats alongside the 13 other members of the contingent Thursday. The team arrived here from Bangladesh after the 55-day expedition.
The long journey started 1 October from the source of Brahmaputra near Mount Kailash in Tibet. In the first stage, the team passed through southern Tibet Plateau where the Yarlung Tsangpo (Sky River) has its origin in the Chemayung-Dung glacier. The river then goes past the 7,782-m Mount Namche Barwa and flows into the Yarlung Tsangpo Grand Canyon - the world's longest and deepest gorge.
The team members trekked on high altitude and rafted down some of the most punishable rapids as they covered the first phase of the expedition. In the second phase, the expedition team started their rafting on the river in Assam and reached Bangladesh as they traversed through the waters on the Bay of Bengal. Photos : AP

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Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Checking cyber crime in Tripura a high priority : C-DAC Director

Agartala, 24 November : Cyber crime was rising across the world, and India is equipping itself to tackle the menace, an official said here Wednesday.
'Cyber space has been engulfing all aspects of our lives. A new civilisation is emerging and cyber security is a new area for all of us,' Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC) additional director Amit Chaudhuri said at a seminar here.

C-DAC, under the union ministry of communications and information technology, has undertaken multi-pronged steps to check cyber crime, he said.
'We are importing advanced tools from developed countries, preparing effective training course module for the law enforcing agencies and stakeholders and have launched a nationwide awareness campaign,' Chaudhuri said. C-DAC has ten centres across the country.

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Tripura CM, state Tennis Association congratulate Somdev
PTI, Agartala, 24 November : Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar today congratulated Somdev Devvarman for winning gold medal for India in the Asian Games, while Somdev's father Prava Ranjan Deb Barman narrated how tense he was when the match was in progress.
In a message, the Chief Minister said, "Somdev made our country as well as the state proud by winning gold in both the doubles and in singles in Asiad. The people of Tripura are looking forward for his visit to the state." Somdev's father, a resident of Agartala said, "I was tense while following his performance on the television, wondering if he would be able to fetch the yellow metal. I was beyond myself when he finally made it."
Secretary of Tripura Tennis Association, Sujit Roy said his organisation would give India's tennis sensation a hero's welcome when he returned home. Photo : AFP

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Mumbai experts examine damaged vessel on Hooghly river
Kolkata, 24 November : Experts from a private agency in Mumbai Wednesday examined the container ship stranded in the Hooghly river after it collided with another container vessel in South 24 Parganas district a day earlier.
The Gibraltar-registered vessel - Tiger Spring - was severely damaged after it collided with a Bahama-registered container ship Green Valley at the confluence of Hooghly and Rupnarayan rivers at Nurpur Tuesday.
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Pabna Dist remembers Bengali screen legend Suchitra Sen
IANS, Dhaka, 24 November : A festival of films of yesteryears' star Suchitra Sen will be held in Bangladesh's Pabna town - and a day has been set aside only for women viewers.
The second instalment of the festival has a day just for women viewers, said Ram Dulal Bhoumik, member secretary of the festival organising committee. Pabna in northern Bangladesh is organising the film fest to honour Sen, who hailed from the town and is now living in Kolkata. Some of the films being screened this year are 'Path-e Holo Deri', 'Indrani', 'Bipasha', 'Komol-Lota', 'Shurjo Torun', 'Devdas', 'Rajlakkhi-Srikanta' and 'Alo-Amar-Alo'.
The eight-day film festival in Pabna, which is beginning Friday, is being organised by Suchitra Sen Smriti Shangrakhhan Parishad (SSSSP). Film actor Razzak will inaugurate the festival, while veteran film director Amjad Hossain will be the chief guest at the opening.
Actors Sohel Rana, Ujjal and Diti are also expected to be present at the inauguration, organisers said. 'The audience is highly appreciative of Suchitra Sen's films, which have made her a screen legend. Seeing the overwhelming response from the audience last time, we decided to hold the festival for the second time,' SSSSP convenor Mohammad Saidul Haque told the Daily Star.
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Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Asiad : Somdev Devvarman creates history with India's 7th gold

PTI, Guangzhou, 23 November : Tripura boy Somdev Devvarman added a historic singles gold to his men's doubles triumph with an upset win over world number 40 Denis Istomin as India rounded off its tennis campaign at the Asian Games with five medals here today.
Second seed Somdev entered history books with his superb 6-1 6-2 win in the final over the top seed Uzbek as no Indian had won a gold medal in the event at the Asian Games before. Somdev, ranked 106, won his second gold in as many days at the Games as he had combined with Sanam Singh to win men's doubles event yesterday.
Just last month only Somdev had won men's singles gold at the Commonwealth Games and has been the face of India on the ATP Tour in singles for quite some time. Photos : AFP, PTI (For More Photos, CLICK)

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PM urge world community to assist Bangladesh in protecting Royal Bengal Tigers, Sundarbans
UNB, St. Petersburg (Russia), 23 November : Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday urged the world community to assist Bangladesh in protecting the Sundarbans and the Royal Bengal Tigers.
“The international community can join in our efforts to save this natural green wonder, the Sundarbans,” she said. The Prime Minister was addressing the plenary session of International Forum on “Preservation of Tigers” held at the Marble Hall of Konstantinovsky Palace here in the afternoon.
Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao, among others, also addressed the session. Heads of governments, ministers and experts from 13 countries having tigers’ habitat are attending the two-day conference that began on Monday.
Sheikh Hasina requested the international community to extend its support to the Sundarbans by clicking in the website. “This click of yours could help the world’s largest mangrove forest becoming one of the `New Natural Seven Wonders’, thereby preserving along with it, the Royal Bengal Tigers and millions of other species,” she said. Photo : AP
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I want free expression of all points of view : CM Buddhadeb
Kolkata, 23 November : West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee today said his government was not in favour of influencing art and culture and wanted free expression of all points of view.
"The government must not issue diktats to the world of theatre and divide it. We want all colours of the rainbow. This is our endeavour," he said at the inauguration of the 10th drama festival here.
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India to deploy 36,000 extra troops on NE's Chinese border
Subir Bhaumik, BBC News, Kolkata, 23 November : India has formed two new army divisions - comprising more than 36,000 men - to defend the north-eastern state of Arunachal Pradesh.
The remote north-eastern state adjoins China which claims large parts of it. The 56th Division will be based in the nearby state of Nagaland to guard the eastern flank of Arunachal Pradesh from Chinese attack through Burma... READ FULL STORY
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Container ship sinking in Hooghly river after collision
Kolkata, 23 November : A container ship has started sinking into the Hooghly river after it collided with another container vessel Tuesday in East Midnapore district, police said.
"The container ship - Tiger Spring - after unloading its containers at Kolkata Dock System (KDS) of Kolkata Port Trust was going back through Rangaphala channel, when another container vessel - Green Valley - which was coming to the KDS hit it in the middle at Nurpur," said Arun Kumar Bagchi, director, marine department of the port trust.
"Tiger Spring was severely damaged and has started sinking," Bagchi said. Photo : Arunangsu Roy Chowdhury

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BADC cancels dealerships for bungling in boro seeds sales
Dhaka, 23 November : Bangladesh Agriculture Corporation (BADC) has cancelled 37 dealerships in different districts for bungling in sales of boro seeds.
It said the action was taken on the basis of investigation into allegations of charging higher price from farmers, hoarding and selling of seeds in black market. A press release said BADC supply of improved variety of seeds is closely monitored so that farmers get the required amount of seeds. It has advised the farmers to refrain from paying dealers the price higher than it was fixed.
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Several wildlife activists protest Elephant killings in Siliguri
Tarak Sarkar, Siliguri, 23 November : Several voluntary environmental and wildlife organistaions staged a protest here on Tuesday, expressing their anguish over elephants killed by speeding trains in the forest areas. Interacting with mediapersons, actor and member of the West Bengal Wildlife Board Sabyasachi Chakraborty warned that until an order is passed on speed limits near forest areas and adequate action is not taken by the railway and forest authorities, the protests would continue. "This protest shall continue until an action is taken by the railway authorities or forest department," said Chakraborty.
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Japanese businesses eyeing Bangladesh: Jap Ambassador
Dhaka, 23 November : Expansion of bilateral trade and investment, and financing of the Padma multipurpose bridge would figure prominently at the summit talks between Prime Minister Sheik Hasina and Japan’s Prime Minister Naoto Kan in Tokyo on 29 November.
This was stated by Japanese Ambassador to Bangladesh Tamotsu Shinotsuka at a Meet the Reporters program at the Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU) Tuesday. Sheikh Hasina pays a four-day state visit to Japan from 28 November. It is Hasina’s first visit to Japan for Hasina in 13 years, her last visit coming during the early part of her previous tenure as premier.
“This is going to be a very important, timely and significant visit by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina,” the Ambassador said. Photo : UNB

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Five, including 2 students killed, 16 hurt in 'road mishaps'
UNB, Dhaka, 23 November : Five people, including two college students, were killed and 16 others injured in separate road mishaps in Gazipur, Gaibandha and Chapainawabganj districts on Tuesday.
In Gazipur, three people, two of them college students were killed in separate mishaps in Sripur and Sadar upazilas this (Tuesday) afternoon.Students of two colleges and locals blocked Dhaka-Kishoreganj road for over 3 hours in protest against the accident.
In separate incident, a speeding bus hit and instantly killed an unidentified juvenile, aged about 13, on Dhaka-Mymensingh road near rail over-bridge at Salna in Sadar upazla in the morning.
In Gaibandha, a truck driver was killed and 16 bus passengers were injured in an accident on Rangpur-Bogra road at Telabu in Palashbari upazla early Tuesday.
In Chapainawabganj, a minor boy was knocked down and killed by a speeding microbus at Baroghoria in Sadar upazla in the afternoon.
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650,000 to get Hepatitis-B vaccine in Tripura by March 2011
Agartala, 23 November : As many as 650,000 people in Tripura will be vaccinated against Hepatitis B by March next year, says an NGO that has undertaken a mass immunisation programme in association with the state government.
"Tripura is the only state in India where the Hepatitis Foundation of Tripura (HFT), an NGO of northeast India, in association with the state health department has undertaken mass immunisation of Hepatitis B vaccine since 2003," Pradip Bhowmik, physician and HFT president, told reporters Monday on the sidelines of a mass state-wide vaccination programme. "Since 2003, our organisation in collaboration with the Tripura government has vaccinated 550,000 men, women and children," he said. By March next year, 650,000 people in the northeastern state would be covered under the mass immunisation against Hepatitis B, he said.
In Tripura, Hepatitis B positivity is four to five percent, while 11 percent of the doctors' fraternity is vulnerable to this infectious disease. HFT general secretary Dibakar Debnath told reporters that through 31 permanent centres across Tripura, the NGO has been vaccinating on an average 125,000 people every year and a special mass hepatitis B eradication programme through 200 transitory centres was initiated in Tripura last year.
Calling it a "dreaded" disease, Bhowmik pointed out that two to seven percent people in India have bundertake any mass countrywide vaccination programme. "It (Hepatitis) is one of the dreaded een infected with the Hepatitis B virus but the central government has yet to diseases that can cause serious liver ailments and other organ damage," Bhowmik said.

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Thursday, November 18, 2010

West Bengal government failing to retain 'literacy success rate'

PTI, Kolkata, 18 November : West Bengal government today admitted that it was unable to retain the success of 99% literacy rate in primary education level and said a strong base has to be built for it.
"Nobel laureate Amartya Sen has appreciated that 99% of students have been attending classes at primary level in our state, but we are not able to retain the success," Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee said. Stressing for spread of education at primary level with arrangement for midday meals, Bhattacharjee said, "We have to build a strong base for primary education in West Bengal to retain the success which will lead to the achievement of total literacy for the state."
He also asked for suggestions by West Bengal Board of Secondary Education on how poor students could be provided free coaching to compete with others.

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Maoists give 48-hour bandh call in Purulia dist from 21 Nov
Kolkata, 18 November : Protesting against the killing of two of their comrades by joint forces, Maoists today gave a 48-hour bandh call in Purulia district from 21 November.
"Two of our comrades- Biplab Bandopadhyay and Dhiren Murmu were killed by the joint forces during their operation in Ayodhya hills," Maoist spokesman Sumon said in a message to the media here. The bandh call was also given demanding an immediate end to the 'Operation Green Hunt, he said.

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Tension in BBD Bagh area following 'bomb threat' and 'fire'
Kolkata, 18 November : A bomb threat call to the HSBC bank's main branch and a fire in the Writers' Buildings, the state secretariat, created tension in the BBD Bagh area where the two structures are situated.
An anonymous caller told the HSBC bank that a bomb had been planted inside and which could explode anytime, police said. The Bomb Detection Squad of the Kolkata police rushed to the building and conducted a thorough search with the help of bank officials after evacuating the staff. City police headquarters sources said the search was still on although nothing have been found so far.
A minor fire broke out in the office of the Principal Secretary of Women, Child and Social Welfare department, Rinchen Tempo, on the second floor of the Writers' Buildings, causing panic among employees.

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Kolkata's North Port police station to get first woman OC
Kolkata, 18 November : The Kolkata Police will have its first woman officer-in-charge of a police station soon. Deboshree Chatterjee will shortly take over the charge of North Port police station, Joint Commissioner of Police Jawed Shamim said on Thursday.
Earlier, another woman, Damayanti Sen, had became the first deputy commissioner of the Detective Department of the Kolkata police. Currently in charge of the Detective Department’s immoral trafficking wing, Chatterjee is known in the police circle as a sincere, honest and able officer.

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One more body pulled out from Delhi rubble, toll rise to 70
PTI, New Delhi, 18 November : With three more bodies extricated by rescuers who continued to dig through the debris at the building collapse site in east Delhi for the fourth day today, the death toll in the tragedy has climbed to 70. The dead include 29 women and 17 children. Rescuers said there was little hope of finding any survivors.
"Body of a 25-year-old man was recovered from the mound of rubbles at around 7.30 AM and have been handed over to the hospital authorities," a Fire Brigade official said. With this, the death toll in the building collapse in Lalita Park area of Laxmi Nagar has mounted to 70, which includes 29 women and 17 children. Last night, rescue workers recovered the bodies of a young boy and a 40-year-old woman while removing the rubbles.
Over 60 families, mostly labourers from West Bengal, were living in the cramped quarters of the 15-year-old building, where an illegal fifth floor was under construction. 82 injured were receiving treatment at various hospitals in the city. Photo : PTI

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Elderly man crushed to death by tusker in West Midnapore
Midnapore, 18 November : A 67-year-old man was trampled to death by an elephant today in Nayagram village in West Midnapore district.
Abani Patnaik was taking a morning walk on the road along a sugarcane field when a tusker suddenly emerged from the fields and attacked him, police said. The elephant lifted the man with its trunk to a height of about 15 feet and threw him to the ground before brutally smashing his head under its foot with such ferocity that the man's blood-soaked entrails got splattered around, the police said.
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Veteran actor and educationist N. Viswanathan dead
Kolkata, 18 November : Veteran actor and educationist N Viswanathan, who essayed roles in over 100 Bengali, Tamil and English films, died here following a heart attack, his family said.
He was 81. Viswanathan is survived by his wife Paromita and son Ashok, also a well known director. The actor died at his residence following a heart attack last night, his family said. Remembered by viewers as a stylish pipe-smoking actor, Viswanathan earned wide acclaim for his role in Satyajit Ray's 'Kanchenjungha' and Mrinal Sen's 'Punascho'. He was a favourite of Ray for the urban, sophisticated image.
Viswanathan was also associated with thespian Utpal Dutt's People's Little Theatre (PLT) and later founded a group of his known 'Calcutta Players'. Born in Vellore, he later moved to Kolkata and graduated from St Xavier's College making the state his home. He ultimately groomed himself as an orator and debator, known for his 'pucca' British accent. File Photo : ashokeviswanathan.com

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