Tag: Jogen Chowdhury

Charukala Utsav to be inaugurated today

Posted on | by aitc | Leave a Comment on Charukala Utsav to be inaugurated today

The West Bengal Charukala Utsav will be inaugurated today at Rabindra Sadan at 5 PM by eminent artist and Trinamool Congress’s Rajya Sabha member, Jogen Chowdhury.

The inauguration will be followed by the felicitation of eminent artists and sculptors and the awarding of young and upcoming fine arts practitioners.

An exhibition of works by the awarded artists and sculptors will be held from today till December 3 at Gaganendra Shilpa Pradarshanshala, adjacent to the Rabindra Sadan complex, from 2 PM to 8 PM.

A fine arts exhibition will be held at the Academy of Fine Arts from today till December 3, from 3 PM to 8 PM, and a fine arts exhibition will be held at Mohor Kunja from November 28 to December 7, from 2 PM to 8 PM.

Talk shows and cultural programmes will be held at Mohor Kunja every evening from November 28 to December 7. A painting exhibition will also be held at the open-air exhibition space adjacent to Charukala Bhawan.

আজ শুরু হচ্ছে পশ্চিমবঙ্গ চারুকলা উৎসব ২০১৭

রবীন্দ্রসদন প্রেক্ষাগৃহে আজ বিকেল ৫টায় পশ্চিমবঙ্গ চারুকলা উৎসবের উদ্বোধনী অনুষ্ঠানে শিল্পকলা জগতের কৃতী মানুষদের সম্মাননা জ্ঞাপন ও প্রতিভাবান তরুন শিল্পীদের পুরস্কার প্রদান করা হবে।

অনুষ্ঠানে উপস্থিত থাকবেন শিক্ষা মন্ত্রী, কলকাতার মহানাগরিক, পর্যটন বিভাগের মন্ত্রী। সঙ্গে থাকবেন প্রথিতযশা শিল্পীরা।

অনুষ্ঠানে পৌরোহিত্য করবেন রাজ্য চারুকলা পর্ষদের সভাপতি শ্রী যোগেন চৌধুরী।

গগনেন্দ্র শিল্প প্রদর্শনশালায় ৩রা ডিসেম্বর পর্যন্ত রোজ বেলা ২টো থেকে রাত ৮টা অবধি চলবে শিল্পপ্রদর্শনী। একাডেমী অফ ফাইন আর্টসেও হবে শিল্পপ্রদর্শনী, রোজ বেলা ৩টা থেকে রাত ৮টা অবধি। মোহরকুঞ্জে হবে মেলা ও সাংস্কৃতিক অনুষ্ঠান। চারুকলা ভবন সংলগ্ন মুক্তমঞ্চে তথ্য চিত্র প্রদর্শনীও হবে।

Jogen Chowdhury speaks on armed Ram Navami rallies in Bengal

Posted on | by aitc | Leave a Comment on Jogen Chowdhury speaks on armed Ram Navami rallies in Bengal

FULL TRANSCRIPT

Sir, this is a very serious issue. What happened during the Ram Navami celebrations in West Bengal is unthinkable and undesirable. Young boys and girls were walking with arms and swords in processions organised by the ruling party in various localities in West Bengal. It is dangerous. While we are giving proper education to our children yet we are training them on how to handle arms. The culture of Bengal – of Rabindranath Tagore, of Sri Chaitanya and Sri Ramakrishna – does not preach such hostility towards anybody. What is this culture of swords and arms that such a party is inflicting in Bengal and India instead of peace, tolerance, love and friendship on the auspicious day of Ram Navami? Such an act is similar to brainwashing of young children by the Taliban. It would be dangerous if such a culture becomes a practice. It will bring unforeseen disaster to our society and country. Such things cannot be encouraged for the sake of politics and power. It should be stopped at once. It will not even help the instigators as the people of Bengal do not support such acts. My earnest appeal to the Government of India is to look into this matter before it goes beyond control. The Hon. Chief Minister of West Bengal has already expressed her strong condemnation against such acts of politics of arms and violence. Finally, I appeal to all that none should bring Lord Rama in petty politics. Ram ka naam badnaam na karo.
 

Jogen Chowdhury speaks during a discussion on National Education Policy in RS

Posted on | by admin2 | Leave a Comment on Jogen Chowdhury speaks during a discussion on National Education Policy in RS

Sir, I start with a quote by Rabindranath Tagore, he said, “the highest education is that which does not merely gives us information but makes our life in harmony with all existence.”

Knowledge cannot be obtained only through books. But more through individual life experience, involvement, hard work and practices. Therefore education is not limited to books. Education is the most powerful tool to make a person self confident, capable and an ideal human being and enables someone live and let live others in peace, prosperity, dignity and harmony with life and nature. Education is not essentially to make a career and just to money but to become a total human being. We must remember that a population when is uneducated, poor, physically incapable is not a human resource but a burden to the society. So we will have to exert all our efforts to change this situation and education is ultimate tool for that and we cannot stop until the entire Indian population is educated, particularly the women of each family and backward classes. We have to remember that even in the time of war when our army cannot do anything if our population is unhealthy, uneducated and incapable. We need a quality education for all. I think it is through proper research and study, it is important to identify which areas of education are in demand, from the perspective of true education and growth oriented education.

I think it is important to have holistic form of education which can be divided into two main parts. One is academic education which revolves around formal subjects such as math, science, language, history, etc, which is mainly obtained through books, study and research. Two, life oriented education like sports, games, yogas, gymnastics, visual arts, performing arts, crafts, designing and planning, skill development of various nature, maintenance of environment and protection of heritage including all sorts of groups, sociocultural activities which encourage self confidence, discipline, friendship or fellow feeling, initiative, organizational ability, leadership and to do hard work, which normally lacks among our people. This is important to make a strong, vibrant, live Indian society. Until we make a clear distinction of academic education and life oriented education in the policy and concentrate on both areas separately in equal measure, we will not be able to make our education purposeful and effective.

I think that in Indian society, we do not lack in informative or academic knowledge, but we do not have any involvement or initiative in organization, planning, hardwork and education. Rabindranath Tagore once remarked that we start our work but it never finishes. I think at this moment this is an important moment of education and practice.

Jogen Chowdhury’s Supplementary Question on underground wiring system | Full Transcript

Posted on | by aitc | Leave a Comment on Jogen Chowdhury’s Supplementary Question on underground wiring system | Full Transcript

I have a question for the Hon’ble Minister. During the stormy season, the open wiring gets torn, particularly in villages, and then there is no electricity for hours. Secondly, in many areas, people take illegal connections from the open wirings which result in great loss to the Government.

Hence my question to the Honourable Minister is whether the Government has any plans for underground wiring system in the near future, particularly in such areas, to avoid all such problems.

Jogen Chowdhury speaks on the reduction of funds for art institutions | Full Transcript

Posted on | by admin2 | Leave a Comment on Jogen Chowdhury speaks on the reduction of funds for art institutions | Full Transcript

Full Transcript

Sir, I am really surprised to find the allocation of funds made by the Government in this year’s Budget for various existing major national art and cultural institutions.

In comparison to earlier allocations, it is ridiculously low. We are frustrated to find that the Government has slashed the allocation by 50 per cent or even 100 per cent. It is fantastic! How can a progressive Government do it?

I have listed the name of 33 art and cultural bodies. I give few examples here for your information –

  • Lalit Kala Academy: Allocation has come down from Rs 20 crore to Rs 11 crore
  • Sangeet Natak Academy: Allocation has come down from Rs 59 crore to Rs 12 crore
  • Sahitya Academy: Allocation has come down from Rs 21 crore to Rs 9 crore
  • Zonal cultural centres: Allocation has come down from Rs 87 crore to Rs 55 crore
  • National School of Drama: Allocation has come down from Rs 43 crore to Rs 13 crore
  • National Gallery of Modern Art: Allocation has come down from Rs 22 crore to Rs 5 crore
  • National Museum: Allocation has come down from Rs 30 crore to Rs 11 crore

Such allocations have come, is unimaginable. It has no vision. It is a backward movement for us if we want to be a progressive nation. Traditionally, since thousands of years, India is a country with rich cultural heritage.

Great personalities like Abul Kalam Azad, Pundit Jawaharlal Nehru knew the importance of the art and culture of India and had vision to create various institutions after India’s independence. But the present Government seems totally insensitive to the cause of art and culture and they drastically reduced the allocations in various art and cultural institutions.

Such low allocations of funds will not only discourage the institutions but will make them crippled and inactive.

If we look towards the western countries, even China, we find that they are vigourously encouraging art and culture. Most of the western cities have famous art and cultural institutions. China has planned to revive their traditional art and culture. They have made a large Art District in Beijing and they have plans to make hundreds of museums all over the country.

Besides, art and culture also attract tourists. Tourism brings money to the exchequer. So, we need to have a very thoughtful visionary plan to rejuvenate our art and culture of this country even for the development of our nation.

Jogen Chowdhury speaks on the prevailing disparity in air fare in India | Full Transcript

Posted on | by admin2 | Leave a Comment on Jogen Chowdhury speaks on the prevailing disparity in air fare in India | Full Transcript

Full Transcript

Sir, our Chief Minister Smt Mamata Banerjee is of the opinion that Air India should be made the best airlines of this country. It is a national carrier already and we should think of that way. I found that recently it has improved its business and also the time schedule. Some time back it was not so. So that is good news.

Services of private airlines like Indigo have gone down. They charge very high, there is a price for cancellation of the ticket and also their tickets are very steeply-priced. Most of the private airlines have steeply-priced the tickets.

So, I think that is a very difficult situation for the people who are travelling. Sometimes they have not refunded the cancellation charge even also the ticket charge. Also they demand extra baggage charges.

Sometimes because of faults in machines passengers are charged for extra baggage and it becomes a problem and embarrassing situation for the traveler. Moreover, they are not even supplying food or water when it is really necessary.

So I would like to ask the Government what measures they are taking in this situation.

Thank you very much.

Jogen Chowdhury slams the idea of smart city | Transcript

Posted on | by admin2 | Leave a Comment on Jogen Chowdhury slams the idea of smart city | Transcript

Noted artist and Trinamool MP in Rajya Sabha, Jogen Chowdhury today slammed the idea of smart cities. He said, “The smart city idea only sounds like an attractive plan, but it is not enough to change the horizon of vast number of semi-urban townships and rural India. Smart cities are a diversion.”

He also requested that the Union HRD Minister to set up a School of Planning and Architecture in West Bengal, which should be a school of excellence under the Central Government.

Jogen Chowdhury delivered his maiden speech in Rajya Sabha today on the School of Planning and Architecture Bill, 2014.

Excerpts from his speech:

Sir, I have been a Member of Parliament for about 6 months now. I have been patiently waiting for the right subject to deliver my maiden speech. Art is my passion and my profession.

Every artist has a dream of having his painting displayed in the Museums in Paris. Every Indian citizen has a dream to be in this famous House of Parliament. Even though I am not a politician, I am grateful that I have been given the opportunity to come to Rajya Sabha. Amar dhonnobadh to the Maa Maati Manush of Bengal. Amar Dhonnobadh to Mamata Banerjee who believes that people from different walks of life must be given a chance to express themselves here. This legislation is welcome.

I think it is most urgent for the Government to come forward and take certain measures in this regard. As per my idea, the Ministry of HRD will have to turn the first stone and initiate this matter. Firstly:

(i) The School of Planning and Architecture should have a particular course for Teaching of Planning and Architectural designing of rural and semi-urban townships and all other human settlements (including designing of schools, markets, bridges etc.). Our idea should not be to transform rural villages into cities – that will be wrong. We must keep the quality and beauty of village life. Even the suburbs of London – have beautiful hutments.

(ii) Trained architects should be employed by the Government in each district Headquarter of the country. They should work in the office of District Magistrates (DM) and prepare architectural plans and designs as per the requirement of the locality, keeping the essential traditional architectural elements of the particular area and culture. Rules and regulations to be framed accordingly. Bhutan or Bali could be good examples for us in this regard.

I think the Smart City idea only sounds like an attractive plan. It is not enough to change the horizon of a vast number of semi-urban townships and rural India. Smart Cities are a diversion.

Finally I would like to request the Honourable Minister to establish the 4th School of Planning and Architecture in West Bengal, which I understand will be a School of Excellence under the Central Government. Unfortunately, West Bengal has no proper School of Planning & Architecture. I hope the Minister will very kindly look into this matter and give me a time bound response to this.

Let me conclude… I think if Indian educational institution can achieve excellence in standard, only then we can get international students to study here in India – like Singapore and Western countries.

All talk from the Govt. Good talk. But not much visible action.

Thank you.