Inking her own story

Saanvi Venkataraman is like any other 10-year-old who loves to dance and paint but unlike most girls her age, she loves to solve puzzles and is an avid reader. And in her spare time, she is to be found perched on the headboard of the bed, crouching over her diary, occasionally gazing at CB Park outside and jotting down her thoughts, in poetry or prose. “The view inspires me,” says the slight and sprightly girl.

The latest feather in her cap is being named the national winner in the junior category of Scholastic Writing Awards 2014. The topic given for her age-group was “The most bizarre dream”. It is a story of alphabets. The protagonist walks up on stage at her school function to deliver a speech when the alphabets on the page where she had written down her speech start flying away from the paper. And it leads to a series of bizarre incidents.

Saanvi Venkataraman pens a story seated in her CB Block home. (Sudeshna Banerjee)

But when she learnt that she would get a tab — a dream gadget for most youngsters — she was upset. “Wish they would have given me gift vouchers,” rues the Class V student of Salt Lake School. “To date, she has not bought anything but books with these gift vouchers,” says mother Sagarika. “Storybooks are an addiction for me. I cannot sleep unless I read for half an hour,” she admits.

Saanvi’s talent with the pen was first noticed by her mother, who was then in advertising. She used to write a diary. She encouraged Saanvi to start sending her articles to Telekids, a supplement of The Telegraph for children. “Saanvi started writing when she was in Class I. I am her biggest critic. Her articles have been coming out regularly in Telekids for three years now,” said the proud mother, who is firmly against rote learning and the practice of burdening children with tuitions. “We don’t even have satellite TV at home, so that leaves her a lot of free time to indulge her creativity.”

At present, Saanvi is reading Harry Potter. “She is a voracious reader. Her retention power is good which is a great plus point for her since she is not much into studies. When there is an emergency like a class test or a unit test only then does she focus on her studies. But sometimes she does not have time to sit and revise. Then it is her retention power that pulls her through,” says Sagarika.

Saanvi loves to solve puzzles, be it involving numbers or alphabets, like crosswords. “When she came first in her school in Maths Olympiad I was taken back. I never thought she would score so well,” smiles the lady who is raising her only child on her own and on her own terms. “I bought her just one doll in all her life. But even in my difficult times, I have never denied her books. I am happy this experiment is paying off.”

Sucheta Chakraborty

 

Olympiad successes

Three students from the township’s schools have made it to the top of the national table by dint of their scores in the Olympiads, conducted by Science Olympiad Foundation. All three were invited to Delhi where they were presented with medals in accordance with their ranks.

Debajyoti Kar on stage with Y.S. Rajan, Distinguished Professor, Isro

Debajyoti Kar

• Apeejay School
• Age: 14 years
• Rank in National Science Olympiad: 3
• Won while in: Class VIII
• Stays in: BG Block

The contest: “It was the first time that the Olympiad was held in our school. About 80 of us competed from the school in the Science Olympiad. The test encompassed questions on physics, chemistry, biology and mental ability. Those who crossed the cut-off marks reached the next level. Eleven of us qualified and I topped the school with a score of 52 on 60. The next round was a one-hour test with multiple choice questions (MCQ) that took place at Hariyana Vidya Mandir. I scored 53 out of 60 and got a bronze medal. The test was surely tougher than the school exams so I did not expect a rank. Next year, I want to compete in the Math Olympiad,” says the boy, who is a member of the school chess club and plays cricket on the roof.

Mayukh Sengupta

Arunangshu Karmakar

• Salt Lake School
• Age: 9 years
• Rank in National Cyber Olympiad: 2
• Won while in: Class III
• Stays in: Ultadanga

The context: “He could handle computers ever since he was a year and half. What most could be the damage a kid could do? Pick out a few keys on the keyboard? I could fix that,” smiles Arunangshu’s mechanical engineer father Samir Karmakar. Even now, the boy’s favourite pastime is playing games on the computer, especially Army Men Sarge’s Heroes. “I can also draw on Logo using programming language,” he says.

The contest: Arunangshu topped his school in the first level. The second level was in the MCQ pattern and had to be tackled online, on the computer. He had competed in Olympiads in the two earlier years as well and got state ranks in science and math. He got third time lucky this year and got the call-up to Delhi where he was handed the silver medal by the Science Olympiad Foundation executive director Mahavir Singh.

Mayukh Sengupta

Sneha Maity

• Kendriya Vidyalaya 1
• Age: 8 years
• Rank in Science Olympiad: 2
• Won while in: Class II
• Stays in: CPWD Quarters, EB Block

The context: Father Dhananjay Maity had these contests in mind even when Sneha was in the pre-kindergarten classes. So on holidays, father and daughter would sit together and solve puzzles that have little to do with the syllabus.

“I also teach her text books outside the school syllabus so that her concept is absolutely clear. For instance, if the definition of evaporation in one book does not make sense to her, I follow another which tackles it in a different way,” he says. Sneha appeared in Math and English Olympiads and got medals for topping her school even when she was in Class I. The Maitys were in Chennai then.

“Here, the school was not aware that Olympiads are held in junior classes too. But once I alerted them, they went ahead and registered. Students have to compete through their schools for the Olympiads. They cannot sign up individually,” says Maity.

The contest: Till Class II, there is only one level of tests, held in one’s own school. In the examination of mental ability and mathematics, Sneha came out with flying colours, scoring full marks. So how does she come second? In case of too many children scoring the same marks, the examinee’s exact age is considered. “There must have been many others younger to her,” Maity explains. Little Sneha’s treat was the Delhi trip to collect the medal in course of which she visited Taj Mahal as well. Her school is planning a felicitation. Her father already has his sights set on the next Olympiad.

 

Boys who serve tea and play ball

Their tea made it to the list of The Telegraph Salt Lake’s best sip and bite stops in 2013. But it is unlikely that any of the loyalists of Gupta Tea Stall on the pavement under Julie House, beside City Centre, are aware that the boys who serve them their favourite steaming cup are better known on the field for dribbling and tackling.

Pappu and Niraj Kumar Shaw, the younger sons of stall-owner Lalchand, are promising footballers who are playing for clubs in the district. Gupta had migrated from his native Sasaram when his second son was aged five. “Back in Bihar, the boys around us played mostly cricket and hockey. We discovered football after coming to Calcutta,” says Pappu, while pouring out a medium chai for customers waiting in an SUV.

Pappu Shaw pours out a cup for a customer at their stall as brother Niraj looks on. Picture by Sudeshna Banerjee

He worked as a domestic help in an FD Block house for a year and then joined his father’s tea stall seven years ago. It was while playing in a tournament in FD Park that he was spotted by a coach. He convinced Gupta to send his son to “Moloy sir’s camp” behind jora mandir at Phoolbagan lake. After spending three to four years there, learning the basics, he shifted to the more accessible Bidhannagar Sports Academy, opposite Bikash Bhavan. Soon after, he got a call-up from the district second division team Agarpara Krira Sangstha. “I have travelled to numerous towns in the district to play for them.”

Niraj’s hero: Brazil’s Fabio Luciano

In this transfer season, the 16-year-old has just signed for Panihati Sporting Club, Sodepur, a district super division team. But the bigger challenge is making the cut in the district under-19 selection. “Pappu is one of the boys among the 35 chosen for the trials for the under-19 North 24-Parganas team. Of them, 20 will be chosen for the inter-district tournament starting on September 11,” says the coach Buddhadeb Mondol.

Niraj, meanwhile, has followed his elder brother’s footsteps to the Agarpara team, though not in the same position. “I play as a stopper,” says the shy lad.

His favourite is Brazil’s Luciano. “I too like to advance and score goals like he does once in a while,” says the 15-year-old. Pappu is a mid-fielder.

Pappu’s idol: England star Frank Lampard

Ask them whether they have met any of the Maidan stars, and their eyes light up. “Dipak Mandal used to come for tea daily before practice when he was playing for Prayag United. Now he has signed for East Bengal and is less frequent. Still, whenever he comes he has a word of encouragement for us.”

The Sukantanagar lads leave home for Bidhannagar station at 5am daily to reach Barrackpore, from where their practice ground is a 15-minute bus ride away. “If we are late, Buddha sir makes us do three laps of the ground. Practice has to start at 8am sharp.” In the afternoon, when there are no matches to be played for their club teams, they go to IB Park to play with friends.

Pappu has never been to school and can just about sign his name. Niraj used to study in Class VII of a local school till last year. “I don’t have time for school any more,” he says.

They can spare barely three-four hours for the tea stall. “We don’t mind. We want them to shine as footballers,” says eldest brother Sonu.

Though the tea stall is popular, it is hardly enough to support the diet and sports kit of two footballers. “The diet that we are prescribed costs Rs 150 a day per head. I can afford barely Rs 80. An egg curry and roti in the morning cost Rs 30! We have to buy our kit from this money too.”

A generous resident of FD Block is backing them. “Sir does not want to be in the limelight. Last Friday, we were invited to a programme of Bidhannagar Press Club. Even there, although he was seated in the front row, he was not named when we were introduced to the gathering,” Pappu says. But in a family where help is needed to buy even a new ball costing Rs 300, the boys could do with more support.

As of now, Pappu is keeping fingers crossed for September 9. That is when the district team will be announced.

Sudeshna Banerjee

Do you know of other such young talents in the neighbourhood?

Write to The Telegraph Salt Lake, 6 Prafulla Sarkar Street, Calcutta 700001 or email to saltlake@abpmail.com