Soul of Kolkata- the exhibition debut of Streets of Calcutta

I have been waiting for this at the back of my mind for quite a while. I met Soumya Shankar Ghosal on 10^th June last year in a new menu sampling session in a restaurant, introduced to me by blogger friend Indrajit Lahiri, and came to know of his unique initiative around street photography called ‘Streets of Calcutta’. He humbly told me that he had searched a lot but couldn’t find any other archive dedicated to the street photography of a single city anywhere in the world.

Streets of Calcutta has a website and an active an extremely popular Facebook group which today has crossed 9000 members (Find it here ). The Facebook group acts as the face of the initiative. Photographs reflecting the life on the streets of Kolkata get posted regularly in the group by the members who have an undying passion for street photography and for the City of Joy.

The group started conducting photowalks as one of its core activities, other than running the online group, early on. It gradually started doing photography review sessions (Offline and online), street photography competition and photography workshops. Brands like Nikon and Idea have collaborated with the group for their photography contests. Soumya also has the distinction to have curated the first ever photography exhibition of Instagram in India which took place in Kolkata in January this year with the ‘Diversity of Bengal’ as its theme (Read the post on this blog here ). So, an exhibition of Streets of Calcutta’s own was the natural progression.

It started taking shape as ITC Sonar came on board as the partner and agreed to host SOC’s first exhibition in its in-house gallery WelcomArt. An open competition was jointly floated on Facebook to select the photographs to put on display. There were thirteen categories inviting entries, like markets, festival, river, ‘Bhadralok’ (‘Gentleman’ in Bengali) and heritage. The aim was to encompass as many facets reflecting the soul of the city as possible, living up to the name ‘Soul of Kolkata’.

The organizers were overwhelmed as entries flooded in and stopped past four thousand six hundred. It will be an understatement that Soumya had a tough time judging and selecting a winner and a special mention for each category to be exhibited. To be fair to so many enthusiastic participants, a digital display section had to be planned for displaying other select entries.

'Soul of Kolkata', presented by ITC Sonar in association with Streets of Calcutta, was unveiled on 1^st July and will go on till 4^th July over 11 am to 7 pm at WelcomArt gallery at ITC Sonar. This was in keeping with ITC Hotels' initiative of 'Responsible Luxury' and part of the concierge services of this luxury business resort which celebrate the hidden treasures of its location. It is open to all. There are thirty exhibits including twenty six selected from the thirteen categories and a selection of forty seven on the digital display. They truly reflect the resplendence, the passion and the charm of  the city. The exhibits can be bought for just Rs 5000 each. They can be booked on the spot and will be delivered shortly after the exhibition.

The proceeds from the exhibition will be donated to an NGO is Habra for underprivileged kids.

The traditional inaugural lamp was lit by the Italian Consul General in Kolkata, eminent dancer Priti Patel, social activist Bonani Kakkar and Atul Bhalla, GM, ITC Sonar in the evening of 1^st July.

 The Italian Consul General lighting the lamp. Photograph by Sukanta Pal.

Priti Patel lighting the lamp. Photograph by Sukanta Pal.

 Soumya Shankar Ghosal. Photograph by Sukanta Pal.

Many visitors and guests from various fields of the society turned up to see the deftly curated exhibits which include some stunning and mesmerizing shots. Take a look at some of them.

Here are some entries on the digital display.

 The winners and those awarded with special mention. Photograph by Sukanta Pal.

If you love the city or wish to know it better, being a resident or a visitor, spending some time tomorrow in the exhibition should be worth it. You may even end up picking up a frame to adorn your home or office wall, which will surely bring a different charm to the place.

#SoulOfKolkata #StreetsOfCalcutta #ITCSonar #WelcomArt #PhotoExhibitionKolkata

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Dada’r Shongey Dil Sey Deejiye- the fundraiser for Tata Medical Center

It started operations five years back in New Town, Kolkata with the aim to bring the best cancer care available in India to Kolkata that could benefit thousands of cancer patients in eastern India. Till then the destination cancer care hospital for this part of the country used to be Tata Memorial Centre, Mumbai.

It is a great relief to know that, Tata Medical Center has not only fulfilled the aim but has also become a reliable address for cancer patients and their families to head for. It has a human face as it is run on a not-for-profit basis. With the wait time for patients in getting therapy becoming longer even as the radiotherapy department is working round the clock, the hospital is in crucial need for expansion.

A bit on the background of this blessing for those in need:

It was conceptualized as a philanthropic initiative in 2004 for the eastern and north eastern India and the neighbouring countries. It had been noted that maximum cancer patients in India are from the eastern part. The trust which the hospital would be governed by, called Tata Medical Centre Trust, was established in 2005. Set up at a cost of Rs 350 crores, the hospital is an integrated cancer treatment facility with state-of-the-art equipment from the best of manufacturers worldwide and 167 beds, half of which is earmarked for free or subsidized treatment to underprivileged patients. The no. of beds was subsequently taken to 183. It provides a holistic range of services from diagnosis and therapy to rehabilitation and palliative support. To date, it has treated 58000 patients out of which 53000 were from eastern India.

A detailed expansion plan is already in place and it will add 252 inpatient beds to the hospital (much more than the current strength), 3 radiotherapy linear accelerators, a dedicated paediatric oncology unit including day care and ICU and cafeteria for patients and visitors. In fact, construction has started in November 2014 and it is expected to be ready by mid to late 2017. Needless to say, it calls for massive finance and contribution can come from sensible individuals and businesses who relate to the cause and the pride of Kolkata that that the hospital will become. Once operational, it will add immensely to affordable and quality cancer care in the private space in the east.

Tata Medical Center announced in a press conference last week about its fundraising initiative Dada’r Shongey Dil Sey Deejiye for the planned expansion. No prize for guessing ‘Dada’- it’s Sourav Ganguly who has come on board to show his support for the hospital’s expansion.

The fundraiser, to be held in the evening of 8^th April, was themed around cricket. Usha Uthup was to perform, apart from popular stand-up comedian Angad Ranyal. There would also be a fashion show with designer Krishna Mehta’s special collection for the occasion where stars like Jisshu Sengupta would walk the ramp. Actors Dev and Raima Sen were also to be present to support the cause. Auction of cricket memorabilia would be held. The tickets were auctioned through WhatsApp and Facebook, and the top 10 bidders would be presented with a limited edition canvas personally autographed by Sourav Ganguly.

Apart from Sourav, those present in the press conference were Geeta Gopalakrishnan, Honorary Director – Donor Relationship, Tata Medical Center; Dr Mammen Chandy, Director, Tata Medical Center; Suresh Gopinathan Menon, Vice President, Tata Consultancy Services; Ambar Singh Roy, Head- Corporate Communication, Tata Steel, West Bengal and Suvankar Sen, Executive Director, Senco Gold & Diamonds.

(Left to right) Ambar Singh Roy, Suvankar Sen, Dr Mammen Chandy, Geeta Gopalakrishnan and Sourav Ganguly

(Left to right) Geeta, Sourav and Suresh Gopinathan Menon

Dr Chandy briefly told how the radiotherapy unit is being run for almost 24 hours and still patients have to wait and how the expansion would be adding to the hospital.

Suresh Gopinathan Menon said about the patient management software that TCS had made for Tata Medical Center when it started operation and that it aims to make the operations light on paper, if not completely paperless.

Ambar Singh Roy said that Tata Steel is committed to supporting Tata Medical Center in as many ways as possible. It has been leveraging various platforms (like Tata Steel 25K marathon) to generate support for the hospital.

Subhankar Sen talked about the unique donation initiative implemented at Senco Gold jewellery stores. In each store there will be boxes marked as Dil Sey Deejiye 10 Rupayee and Dil Sey Deejiye 100 Rupayee. The customers would be requested to pitch in with their bit by donating money starting with a meagre amount as Rs 10 (Sen reminded that the drops make an ocean). He said that people buy jewellery for happy occasions and they won’t mind donating for such a noble cause which will make their happiness bigger.

Sourav said he visited the hospital for Make a Wish foundation and Dr Chandy took him on a tour of the hospital. From that day, he became mentally attached to the hospital.

#TMCKolkata #Philanthropy #Fundraiser

  

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Spreading smiles in Holi

A Facebook group took the happiness from the festival of colours several notches up by sharing it.

Spreading Smiles is a Facebook group with an aim to bring smiles to the less privileged people of our society. Created in July 2014, it has grown to more than 4400 members till date. They do one event a month at a chosen orphanage, shelter home or old age home, and the event comprises of spending a day with the inhabitants; playing, chatting and eating with them to make them feel special. I came to know about this group from founder member Vishal Goyal last year, who have been in consistent touch with me and have sometimes, most politely, drawn my attention to their monthly events.

It’s a personal belief with Vishal that the true meaning of celebrating any festival is spreading and sharing happiness with others. Sharing this belief, Spreading Smiles celebrated an early Holi on 20^th March, Sunday, with the children in Jana Siksha Prachar Kendra, a shelter home for girls in Salt Lake. There were twenty three girls between four and fourteen years of age who participated in the celebration. The place was decorated with balloons, games were organized and prizes were given to winners, and staff members from McDonalds put it all up without any charges. When one shares a meal with such a group it makes them feel even more special and brings a greater joy to the occasion. So they ate lunch and drank thandai with the children. They also received gifts from the group members.

Thereafter the members started playing Holi with the children. It was a big surprise for them and the happiness on their faces when they saw the colours was beyond words. Their excitement was such boundless that they almost snatched the gulal (powdered colour for dry use) from the Spreading Smiles members and smeared their faces with it. As Vishal shares “Those moments can never be explained, one can only feel them! We became kids with them. This was the best Holi celebration of my life and my group members present there feel the same.” The experience has encouraged the members to celebrate every possible festival with such children.

Vishal with the kids

Here’s wishing Spreading Smiles all the very best. May they continue living up to their name.

By the way, if you wish to share your joy of special occasions with those less fortunate, be it children or senior citizens, Spreading Smiles can help you select the place and do all the arrangement. The only service charge will be the opportunity to spread smiles more. And the only condition (if you call it any) is to become a member. Find them here.

Photograph courtesy: Vishal Goyal

#HoliCelebration #ShelterHome #SocialWorkKolkata

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Drop your clothes and make an impact

It’s an urge from the well-known menswear brand Turtle: Drop your clothes and be noble!

What!!

No, not a campaign for creating sensation, quite a different one rather. The brand urges you to drop your spare clothes at its stores in Kolkata this season so that people who are far less privileged get to be better clothed this winter, through its campaign ‘I dropped my clothes’. There is a canter as well, which will be moving in various parts of Kolkata to collect clothes.

This is the second season of the campaign, after a successful first run in November-December last year.

The clothes will be donated to the NGO Concern India Foundation who will distribute the same to the needy people. Set up in 1991, they have been extending financial and non-financial support to grassroots NGOs working in the areas of education, health and community development. Currently, CIF supports over 270 grassroots NGOs across India reaching out to 1,90,000 marginalized people directly through offices in Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Pune.

Apart from clothes, you can also donate money to the NGO in a cheque drawn in favour of it for this initiative and drop it in a Turtle store in Kolkata or at the canter.

The campaign was kicked off on 3^rd December by Abir Chatterjee and Arindam Sil, the protagonist and director respectively, of the upcoming detective flick Har Har Byomkesh at the Turtle store at the recently opened Acropolis mall. It will go on till 20^th December. To spread the good word, donors are encouraged to post their donation with a picture or video on the social media with (hashtag) #iDroppedMyClothes.

The campaign being launched by Abir Chatterjee and Arindam Sil

According to Turtle, the campaign aims to help those in the city who do not have access to basic clothing in the winter, thereby tackling a wide problem from the grassroots level so that they are able to survive the unpleasantness of winter by being adequately clothed.

Turtle is also actively involved in the conservation of endangered species of turtles across India for many years and recently entered into a partnership with TSA (Turtle Survival Alliance, an international organization working towards conservation of endangered species of turtles in multiple countries across the globe) to support the conservation of freshwater turtles around the world to help shape a better and more sustainable community under its CSR philosophy. Turtle’s recent #Savelittleshelly campaign has been a successful endeavor to promote Turtle’s conservation during World Turtle Day.

So it’s time to drop (before the mercury drops further), get clicked and share. Happy dropping!

#IDroppedMyClothes #Turtle #CSR

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