A research oriented theme show, “Legacies and a Legend”, was staged at the G.D. Birla Sabhagar on June 27. It was organised by city based Rabindrasangeet school, Parampara, in association with You & I, a music production house. The occasion was the felicitation of veteran singer Suchitra Mitra and Fr P.C. Mathew (Principal, St Xavier’s College, Calcutta).

The programme began with three group songs presented by the students of St Lawrence High School. Aniruddha Banerjee, a part of the chorus, said: “I am honoured to have a chance to perform before such a legendary figure.”

Rabindrasangeet singer Arpita Pal and music teachers of St Lawrence High School, pianist Sourendro Mullick and vocalist Soumyojit Das (in picture above by Bishwarup Dutta), performed at the show. Suchitra Mitra and managing director of Ananda Publishers, Subir Mitra were the narrators. Mullick and Das followed up the singing of Pal with classical vocal and instrumental strains based on thaats.

A scene from Bhanga Buker Panjore, a play staged by the theatre wing of Nehru Children’s Museum on July 28 at the Academy of Fine Arts. Picture by Anindya Shankar Ray

Sourendro did a piano rendition of Shiv Kumar Sharma’s santoor composition, based on the Marwa thaat. This was followed by the thumri made famous by Bade Gulam Ali Khan, Ka Sang Kheloon Mein Phaag, by Soumyojit on the same thaat. Pal sang the Rabindrasangeet Emni Kore Jaye Jodi Din, to show that the song too was based on the Marwa.

“I hope that ‘Legacies and a Legend’ proves to be a good launching pad for Sourendro and Soumyojit. Both of them are talented young musicians and are keen to uphold tradition through their art,” Mitra told The Telegraph. The 84-year-old maestro sang Khepa Tui Aachhis Aapon Kheyal to round off the evening. Painter Shuvaprasanna and Sanjay Budhia (MD Patton Group) were present on the occasion.

“We tend to ignore our art forms as we are too caught up in our hectic schedules. It was a great experience,” said Moubani Sorcar, who was a part of the audience.

Abhisek Banerjee
First yr, MA, Journalism and Mass Communication, CU

For tomorrow’s entrepreneurs

The Birla School of Management (BSM) is starting a two-year post graduate management programme for students who want to look beyond the traditional MBA courses. The new course, Masters in Management Administration (MMA), divided into four semesters, will offer courses in micro, small and medium enterprise management, entrepreneurial management, financial engineering, retail management and agro products marketing. There will be classroom lectures as well as fieldwork.

The programme will begin on August 6 this year with 60 students — 20 in each programme. Students can be admitted to the course by taking through the Special Entrance Test conducted by West Bengal University of Technology, or the Common Examination Test conducted by the institute.

The course fee is Rs 1.7 lakhs. According to Suman K. Mukerjee, Director, BSM and JD Birla Institute: “We will also help students fund their entrepreneurial endeavours at the end of their fourth semester.” He added: “The global market for jobs is changing. Our aim is to prepare managers, not sales executives.” Event management and NGO management are also in the pipeline.

The Diary

Interims

Another step forward, or just an indulgence?
It makes me sad, I cry, "
Every step forward is two steps back…
Not to forget, there’s another you…
A few scars cleaned, fingerprints removed
With saccharine and fabricated smiles!
Another attempt to enter the realm of love,
Laws learnt, memorised, yet not abided by…
Failures scar the mind,
Much misjudged by the selfsame card readings!
A new hope with every new trial,
Sometimes the practical lessons fail —
And the effort falls apart…
Yet there’s hope it’s the season’s last mistake.

Barkha Sharda,
History, Jadavpur University

Alone on a battlefield

Today as I sit amidst silence,
The chaos cries out for rest.
The black clouds remain unmatched,
The eternal blackness of a hapless soul.
Somewhere lingers the smell of victory,
That mocks the putrid smell of death.
The dove has forgotten how to fly,
Even the gods fight amongst themselves,
Holy water descends on the red earth.
Washing away bloodstains, healing a thousand wounds.
Where will the river of blood turn now,
Carrying with it the sins of man?

Ayan Majumdar,
Student