Festive hues: Children match drawing skills in front of the Kali puja pandal of their locality. Picture by Kishor Roy Chowdhury

As the Durga puja drew to a close, 31 students of the National Service Scheme (NSS) of St Xavier’s College packed their bags and set off for their puja camp at Andharmanik village, in Baduria of North 24-Parganas.

The objective of the camp was to do a study and evaluate the developmental work done by Swanirbhar, an NGO which works in the village, located close to the India-Bangladesh border.

The camp started on October 4 with an orientation session, conducted by members of Swanirbhar, on agriculture and self-help groups in the area. The sessions gave the students a coherent idea of the agricultural methods used by the farmers and the micro-finance they employ. They also learnt just how hazardous the excessive use of chemical fertilisers was and the benefits of organic fertilisers. The problems of high levels of arsenic in the ground water were also discussed. The NSSers realised that self-help groups are an efficient tool of women’s empowerment. The drawbacks of these groups were also discussed.

The NSSers then went from village to village interviewing farmers, women of self-help groups and the village youth about their socio-economic condition. Case studies were compiled of farmers who used innovative methods of farming and of women from self-help groups who have done exceptionally well. It was found that some of these groups have been instrumental in raising the standard of living of the villagers. Electricity, tubewells and primary schools were some of the facilities that materialised, thanks to the persistent efforts of the self-help groups.

As part of the camp, Swanirbhar also trained NSSers on how to teach primary-level students. Then there were interactive classes on street theatre and sessions on meditation that helped the NSSers realise the true essence of being involved in social work.

The editorial team, National Service Scheme,
St Xavier’s College

Jungle book: Children of Wonderland school enact a fable at a recent story-telling session. Picture by Sanat Kumar Sinha

Foreign tie-up

Management and communication institute Training and Advanced Studies in Management and Communications Ltd (Tasmac) will soon add another international academic partnership to its kitty. With centres in Pune, Bangalore and Calcutta Tasmac has enjoyed a five-year partnership with the University of Wales.

The institute is now entering a partnership with University of Greenwich in the teaching and awarding of degrees in computer sciences and software engineering at the Master’s level.

“We are on the last leg of our deal and will be finalising it soon in Pune,” informed Margaret Noble, pro vice-chancellor (learning and quality) of the University of Greenwich.

Tasmac is collaborating with the university’s School of Computing and Mathematical Sciences for M.Sc courses in computing, computer systems and networking, as well as in enterprise software engineering. The in-country programme will cost £ 3,000, which is one-third of what it will cost overseas.

University of Greenwich has in-country programmes in Greece, Hong Kong, Egypt, Malaysia and Bahrain. “With our biggest recruitment marketing being India, with about 630-plus students registering this year, an in-country programme seemed the logical step,” said Noble. “There will be two intakes a year, in January and in September. We are thinking of starting with a batch of 20,” said Giri Dua, chairman and managing director of Tasmac.

Chandreyee Chatterjee

whatsup

Siraaj, a film made by CRY volunteers, will be screened at Oxford Bookstore on October 26, 6 pm. As part of the anti-child labour programme, a panel discussion on ‘Children of a Lesser God: Freedom from Shackles but Return to Poverty’ will be held where volunteers will interact with panellists

The Diary

Parabolas of poetry

Sometimes,on drizzly eves,
I snuggle into a comfy seat
in the theatre inside me.
Hoping to see a film of words
on the mega-pixeled screen.

I see a word, then two, then many
like tiny birds, flapping faster, faster...
Creating alternate paradigms
of euphony-cacophony.
The films end, always,
with an orgy of mad words on a rupturing screen.
And then a muzzy voice, that seems to convey:
“There’s nothing more to see.”

Some day I hope to sneak out of the theatre
past the vigilant atoms of consciousness,
who guard the doors of the dark, dark hall.
I’ll smuggle out the words frozen in me.
Disguised, as ecstasy.

Later, I’ll buy some pains to melt ’em all
pains you pick from purple kerbs,
streets, bloated malls.
And then the words would melt,
flow and rain on me as,
parabolas of poetry.

Avishek Parui,
2nd yr, MA English, CU

Now

It’s the valley of flowers
with a gurgling stream,
Where I’m born and nurtured.
This is where I belong,
a land without a sigh of sorrow,
Where I’m taught to dream
of an even better tomorrow.
Desires of my heart
escaped all bounds like a swan...

Guiding the narrow and steep path of thy vision.
The dawn of realisation
whispered tomorrow is far away,
I might never see the sunshine of another day.
Man is so lost in the illusive rat-race,
That he forgets “now” is all he can chase!!

Babhrabi Nandy,
final yr, BA Ll.B, South Calcutta Law College