Dr. Mahendra Lal Sarkar , the foremost medical personality of eighteenth century.

  Mahendra  Lal Sarkar was born in 1833 in Howrah near Calcutta.He lost his parents at early age. He lost his father at the age of five years and  mother at the age of nine years.His mother shifted to his maternal uncle s house at Nebutala in Calcutta . Subsequently Mahendra lal was brought up by his maternal uncles .He was admitted as a free student in Hare school in 1840 .In 1849 he passed Junior scholarship examination and joined Hindu college where he studied up to 1854.
He was transferred to Calcutta Medical college where he was so esteemed by his professors in the second year of course that he was invited to deliver a series of lectures on optics to his fellow students.

He performed this task honourably .He had a brilliant career at that college, where besides winning several scholarships , he passed the final examination in 1860 with highest honours in medicine and surgery.He obtained his MD degree with special success.

Surprisingly Mahendra lal turned to Homeopathy. In the course of his career he treated several notable persons of those days.including the author Bankim Chandra Chaterjee , Ram Krishna Dev and Maharaja of Tripura.

The Indian Association for the cultivation of science was established in 1876 and  Sarkar was the first Secretary.Sarkar supported higher education for women in nineteenth century when higher education for women was rare . He died in 1904.

Soumitra Chatterjee , A versatile personality.

It is very difficult task to write about Soumitra since lots have  been written about him by  many wise persons while I am a very common man  .

Anyway I will try my best to give an outline about him.

He has various identities , actor , poet ,theatre actor and director , Recitator and editor of little magazine. 

He started his film career almost sixty years ago in Apur sansar in 1959.Since then he has been working in Bengali films. He is possibly  the actor of longest period of Bengali film. He has worked in plenty of films with many film makers including satyajit Roy .He is the only actor who worked in highest number of flims of shri Roy.

During his long carieer he worked with many actors and actresses. During our college days there was a common debate who was the better actor between uttam and Soumitra.

Though I have no direct experience Bout acting yet I feel this comparison seems to be meaningless  since the style of acting differs from one  actor to another. Uttamkumar was the victim of premature death. He died only at the age fifty four. He started character role leaving role of romantic hero. He would have presented beautiful character role if he would had been alive and he himself would have got enough scope to experiment about his acting.

Uttam kumar and Soumitra worked together in around five films and undoubtedly both of them acted superb .While Soumitra in his long Careere has acted in plenty of characters and and has got enough scope to experiment. Besides for his acting ability satyajit Roy in his good number of flims took Soumitra and he did very well.

It can't be denied that Soumitra has become now an institution of Bengali film and he genuinely deserves it due to his longest experience and possibly for working with highest  number of film  makers.

He is the only actor who worked in highest number of films of satyajit Roy . He came to personal contact with the legendary theatre personality Sisir Kumar Bhadhuri and also acted with him in theatre .

He has rightly achieved the most prestigious award Dada Saheb Falke award for his excellent contribution in cinema.

In the present day context Soumitra is the most experienced ,senior most actor of Bengali film  industry and close associate of Satyajit Roy and worked all reputed film makers namely Mrinal Sen ,  Tapan Sinha  etc.Considering such an experienced person would have been successful  in direction of film .

Soumitra holds all the factors of success . Firstly he is very handsome with extra ordinary fair complexion.He is very intilligent , smart and his  voice is very good , an
expert in recitation and  his long association with shri Satyajit Roy has benefited him towards acting to a maximum length.

If I am asked during his long career what is the best work?It will be  Certainly the characterisation of Feluda . Ever best acting . After Soumitra some other actors acted in this role but could not go near to him.He was superb.
Similarly it can be said Uttam Kumar was superb to characterisation of Bomkesh. Some Artists have worked in this role but could touch him.

We are fortunate that Soumitra has been still actively working .  I pray for his long  life .

The Poor Rickshaw Poolers !

At this moment the number of rickshaw plies through out our state is not known to me. The number should be few lakhs . I have seen in the paper only in Dakha city few lakhs rickshaw ply. In our state the same having been few lakhs and the exact number of families are dependent on the poolers. Our state being a victim of unemployment the rickshaw is an unofficial industry where such huge number of people are engaged. 

Unfortunately the administration doesn't seem to have taken any proper steps for the upliftment  of such huge number of people. Two types of Rickshaw poolers are found .

The first category are the owners of the Rickshaw and they ply themselves only  while the second category of poolers have to pay a reasonable hire charges  to the rickshaw owners.At present day rickshaw poolers are in immense crisis since they are in tremendous competition with the open riksha where few people may travel sitting in the rickshaw van.

This rickshaws Is comfortable for short distance and also very comfortable for sick and elderly people.
The present time is of speed only . A large number of people including young people do not prefer this mode of transport.
The rickshaw pullers suffer a lot during summer and monsoon.They require huge food.Unfortunately they don't get requisite food and nutrition.As a result,they are attacked with T.B. and their average lives are very short.

Newspaper and Hawkers.

We expect newspaper to reach our homes early morning before tea time so that reading newspaper and taking tea may continue simantaniously  . It is a great pleasure for everyone to read newspaper and take tea. If the newspaper reaches before taking tea there is no problem but unfortunately if the paper reaches after taking tea the hawker has to digest rebuke. We never think the struggling of the hawkers for reaching the papers timely.If we go into the details of the struggling life of the hawkers we may be bit sympathetic towards them.

The hawkers though human being but in reality they lead an inhuman life. Their day starts at three am when we are in sound sleep. After completing all works they return home at about three pm. After taking lunch they take rest at about four. This is more or less their daily routine.

They enjoy holiday on an average five to six only in a year. From this it can be guessed the inhuman and struggling life. They have no monsoon  cyclone, flood, winter, illness,  illness of any member of the family, any family festival and even death of any family member will not stop their daily attendance.

Despite so many hurdles they earn some commission only.If we think about their struggling we may be a bit sympathetic towards them and condone the delay if any in distribution of paper.

the deplorable condition of the hawkers came to my notice during my childhood.
It is my humble request to all appropriate authorities kindly to look into the struggle of the hawkers and  discuss the matter with  appropriate authorities  to arrange either higher commissions or to arrange for  some more holidays. 

It is very painful  and surprising that those who are carrying the news and reaching the same to  crores  of readers . However , nobody is  there to speak a single line in favour of the hawkers.
This is the irony of fate .
This system has been continuing from before independence. Those who are readers of newspaper or non readers of newspaper , nobody has minimum time to think for them.No political party has since spent a single word for these unfortunate hawkers.

What are the remedies?  It is my humble prayer to all appropriate authorities kindly to examine their demands on war footing basis and come to a permanent solution in regard to the demand for minimum human life they lead.  Why they will not be paid fixed salary? Group insurance, Provident fund,Esi  benefit may be introduced

Outstanding Talented Harinath De .

Harinath De was a surprisingly talented person. I personally feel Shri De was one of the most talented persons of his time. We are very unfortunate for having lost him only at the age of thirty four years.He was born in 1877 in  North 24Porganas. He studied in presidency college , Kolkata and Cambridge.

He was expert in thirty four languages such as Chinese,Tibetan,Pali,Sanskrit,Persian,Arabic,English,Greek, and Latin etc.He was M.A. in fourteen subjects . He was the first Indian Education Service officer among Indians . He was professor of English of Dhaka university and of presidency college, Kolkata.He was appointed as the first lecturer of the newly created department of linguistics of Calcutta university in 1907.He became the first Indian  Librarian of National library from 1907 to 1911.

It was  extremely unfortunate that Harinath was the victim of premature death. His death caused sever loss of Bengali literature and history.Another disappointing and surprising matter we have totally forgotten him . I personally feel only a few number of persons know his name. Whereas there is a doubt during last hundred years whether such talented Bengali was born.I pay my heartfelt regards to him.

Our religion Hinduism and some questions.

At the very outset I should honestly admit that I am   neither a religious person nor deal with any religious matters.

Only as an observer a question has been  raised in my mind and I would pray to scholar persons kindly to reply my question .I have seen almost all persons pray to God or worship with a view to get something like recovery from illness, for getting a job,marriage of the children  , win in a legal case  ,for earning profit in a business ,  for giving birth to a baby, for promotion in service place etc.

It may be appreciated that every time worship or prayer is being done only to get something. In every prayer some interest is involved. Whenever any puja is conducted where ever the place , the main object is to get something.When the disciples worship their gurus that is  also for getting something.  Besides there is a very popular custom named Mannat where if the demand  is met something will be given to God. What will be the explanation of  Mannat system.

From the above instances  our religious structure may be termed that it is based on give and take policy. While Ramakrishna Dev repeatedly advised that the love of God should be purely without any interest. As for example while Narendranath was in extreme financial crisis Ramakrishna Dev advised him to pray to Maa Kali for a job. Narendranath despite third attempt could not approach for a job.

This is the spirit of our religion while we experience the opposite trend everywhere.The basic of our religion may kindly be explained by the religious scholars.

Inhuman life of private transport employees.

I shall try  my best to  present the  life  style of our  countless private transport employees. I don't know the exact number of such employees in Bengal, mainly I have considered the Drivers , Conductors and helpers of private and minibuses.The number of such employees approximately will exceed one lakh. One thing I should categorically mention that I have not seen the day to day life of such huge number of people from close contact ,I have seen from distance and have been writing mainly on imagination.

Their days start  at about three while we are under sound sleep .They are to report for duty by four since the first   trip starts At about five and the last trip ends at about  ten . After that cash has to be deposited to the owner of the buses with the accounts and they also would take their remuneration .

The workers are to discharge duties about seventeen hours at a stretch from morning five to night ten. The nature of duty involved is extremely   hard and extreme pressure falls on throat. The Conductors and the helpers are to shout whole day. The most surprising and unbelievable thing is that despite long seventeen hours duty they don't get possibly any lunch break. How do they take their lanch? While  waiting at terminus they take their lanch at the minimum time. They have no scope of taking bath . It can be appreciated from this the extent of inhuman life they are to pass   . Considering such hard duties in most cases they can not discharge duties more than three days in a week .

As regards financial aspects too the Conductors don't get any salary instead they get commission on sales only.

  It has been noticed in most of the cases that they are attacked with major diseases following excessive    torturer on health and they can't go for medical treatment and they are the victims of short life.

In working place they have no security ,  they have no provident fund facilities.It is unimaginable that they don't get a single  paise from their employers in case of serious illness, termination of service or leaving service or death.

It is unbelievable that even after the expiry of long seven decades the condition of huge section of workers are beyond imagination and the same are against humanity, civilisation and the same may be termed as barbaric. The same does not show any indication of slightest improvement.

Dr Gayan Mazumder a surprise of medical science.

Dr Gayan Mazumder was originally named as Dr Gayanendra  Narayan Mazumder. However, he was popularly known as Dr Gayan Mazumder. He was an exceptionally meritorious student.

He was admitted  for his MB degree after passing MSc examination while ISC was enough for the same. After passing MB he obtained his MD degree . After that he started for England for higher studies. Surprisingly and unbelievably he passed both the degrees of medicine and surgery means MRCP and FRCS and returned to the country and he surprisingly started practising homeopathy despite having both the degrees of medicine and surgery and the most important thing that he was very successful in homeopathy and did many miracles and he was number one of Homeopathy . He along with his glorious practice he also joined politics and was elected in assembly from Balligunj constituency in 1957 supported by the CPI. Indeed  he was a person of extreme calibre otherwise it would have been impossible to practice homeopathy.Unfortunately we have forgotten about his extreme calibre.

I personally pay my heartfelt regards for his magnificent contributions for medical science.

Handwriting of the Physicians (Doctors).

We have many complaints against the Doctors, most of them seem to be genuine but one  important area is fortunately or unfortunately left and the area being very important one namely bad handwriting of the Doctors, of course There are exceptions of the bad handwriting. The handwriting of some doctors are very clean and beautiful. In such cases no problem arises. There is a joke of a  bad  bad handwriting, one newly married Doctor had written a letter from very far place to his wife and his newly married wife despite vigorous exercise could not read even a single line and she expressed the incident to one of her friends and she laughed and advised her to go to one compounder who will be able to read.

Now the question is what are the problems may arise for the bad handwriting ?

Firstly the patient parties may have to go from this shop to that shop , the second being  very risky the Salesmen being unable to read the names of the medicines and serve wrong medicines and taking the same even the patient may die.

In a newspaper I saw that in our country fifty thousand men  die due to wrong medicine, It was also  noticed that Supreme court has  ordered that  the names of the medicines should be written distinctly
 
  It is the funniest thing and the same is surprising too that the handwriting of the majority of the Doctors are extremely bad and illegible and the Doctors should take the matter seriously since the lives of many people are involved. Apart from this another  important area is  the possibility of taking wrong dose by the patients for being unable to read the same.  Doctors association may play an important role here . They may arrange seminar and make conscious to this effect. This is matter of great regret only for bad handwriting of the Doctors so many lives are sacrificed every year.
   At the time of university convocation when the Doctors assemble there to collect their degree the university may alert them to be careful about handwriting so as to save good many lives.

Glorious Mukherjee family of Kolkata.

We are fortunate that at least we have been able to see one Mukherjee  namely Respected Chittotosh  Mukherjee . I don't know whether there had been any discussion on Mukherjee family . I may kindly be excused if there is any mistake from my part in highlighting the glory of Mukherjee family. Actually I'm too small for this work only based on good wishes I have started. this work. 

Actually I felt long past that the glory and magnificent contributions in the field of education , law and literature made by this Family should be widely circulated in order to reach the glory to those people who are not aware of the same. I don't know whether any other family of Bengal has produced three Chief Justice of High court  and three vice Chancellor of  university. This is Mukherjee family who did this and to me this is rarest to the rare credit and this is impossible to break this glorious record . Now let's us discuss in details . The names of the three vice Chancellor of Calcutta university Sir Ashutosh  Mukherjee, Rama prosad Mukherjee and Shyma prosad Mukherjee.

 Now let us discuss the Calcutta High court and three Chief Justice  Sir Ashutosh Mukherjee. Rama prosad Mukherjee and Chittotosh Mukherjee. Apart from this in one building three colleges are named by three members of the same family. 

Ashutosh collage, Jogomaya Debi collage and Shyma prosad collage.Two important roads of the city are named by two members of the same family. Ashutosh Mukherjee road and Shyma prosad Mukherjee road. Another member who earned immense popularity and fame by writing traveling experience. Uma prosad Mukherjee. I pay my deepest regards and respect to this outstanding family.

Bharat Ratna Dr Bidhan Chandra

Bharat Ratna Dr Bidhan  Chandra Dr.Bidhanchandra Ray had two identities, one as physician and the other is politician and quite naturally a question arises whether as a physician or as a politician he was great.To me he should be regarded as an administrator as in view of the fact he took his office as chief minister of West Bengal in 1948 and continued the same till 1962. Now the question may reasonably arise whether he was a great administrator or a good physician. It is extremely difficult to reply to this question since In Both the  cases he was a masterpiece. As a doctor number of stories have been heard  it must be said he was an exceptionally meritorious student. There was a story which says he was interested for engineering studies and accordingly applied for both medical and engineering for medical college and  Shibpur  Engineering college , after waiting for quite some time for a reply from Shibpur Engineering college and no reply having been received being disappointed he was admitted in medical college and after returning home he came to know that the letter from Engineering college selecting him had been received. His family had not capacity to admit in Engineering college once being admitted in medical college. If he had received the letter from Engineering college few hours ago he would have been admitted there in that case we would have not received a world famous doctor in stead we would have received an engineer. As a

 token of his brilliance he completed FRCS and MRCP in a year and the same way very tough  . As regards his medical profession  a good number of stories had been in vogue and his clinical eyes  were  very powerful.He earned the maximum popularity as a doctor. At that time he was the last resort of medical treatment  when other doctors failed to detect diseases the patients were taken  to Dr Ray . Let us discuss his performance as Administrator.He was the second chief minister of West Bengal . At the time of taking over our state was in deep cricis due to partition and the state was in a cute crisis due to the pressure of refugee and food crisis. He with his strong hands had taken the responsibility and discharged the same with great success. He completed many projects.He  estatablished State  Transport corporation  He took initiative in forming Haringhata milkproject    He took initiative for Durgapiur , Bidhanagar 

He took for Durgapiur Steele plant .His another dream was Kalyani . Apart from this he established another two township viz Ashoknagar and Habra He was awarded the highest civil award Bharat Ratna in 1961, He was the most successful Chief minister of fourteen years on the other hand a physician of magnificent calibre having highest degree of both medicine and surgery.He was really a surprising personality who died fifty four years back while it is yet to be settled whether he was a great physician or a great administrator, it suggests that how great he was in both the cases.He also made a record in respect of his death as the same occurred in his eightieth birthday.He  was truly an exceptional person in all respects.

A tribute to Pankaj Roy

I think It will be not wrong if I say that We have totally forgotten him. Indeed it is a very unfortunate thing. Of course it is not only in respect of Pankaj Roy the same are applicable in respect of all renowned Bengalis.

While it is felt only on that day shri Roy was a very active member of the selection committee of BCCI , Pankaj Roy seems to be first  player from Kolkata who played in Indian national cricket team.

   He was a right handed opening Batsman .He and vino Mankar had record  of 413runs against New Zealand and the same remained fifty two years.He  was also a right handed medium first bowler.

He played in fourty six test matches.He received padyasri  award .In his family 2 other members viz his son Pranab Roy and nephew Ambar Roy also played in Test Cricket . Therefore , it is a rare incident that 3 members from the same family played in the National Cricket Team.

He died in 2001.During his career media was very weak in comparison to present day . At that time media means only newspaper and Radio.and  the same supported Pankaj Roy.of course at that time population was very less in comparison to present day.  Pankaj Roy undoubtedly was very competent player and as a selector hr was also competent.

it is my humble submission to alla appropriate authority to kindly consider whether any permanent memory can be set up in His name.

A tribute to Suchitra Sen

In Bengali film industry a good number of reputed actresses have worked with high reputation  but none could reach the height of Suchitra Sen. She reached a legendary height during her life time.  The experts of Bengali film industry may review about her acting but it can't be denied in any way that she  always occupied the position of number one.

Her debut was in 1952 and retired in 1979. During her career she Worked opposite to Bikash  Roy, Anil chatterjee , Soumitra Chattererjee, Ashoke Kumar ,Basanta Chowdhury etc . Apart from this she Worked in her majority of pictures with Uttamkuar and the same has become a history.I feel in Bengali films industry since inception no other pair have enjoyed such popularity.She also worked in Hindi film like Uttar falguni , Adhi ,Devdas etc. She was awarded for her "Sat pake Badha" copy by Russia .She also got Padmashree and Bangabibhushan.

Her premature depart from Bengali flims has caused severe loss .

As a person she was out and out dignified.She was comfortable in her limited small circle only. The most surprising thing despite her tremendous popularity is She totally isolated herself from public life and completely avoided all film oriented programmes and all social programmes.

Practically She completely set aside herself from all occasions and even didn't meet other than her listed names and she maintained it from her retirement to till her death.

It  is very difficult to set aside the glamour world while she did it very casually. It suggests how great she was. The death of her brought a permanent gap of a great personality.

Local trains and Hawkers.

Local trains without Hawkers is unimaginable. Hawkers are inseparable part of the local trains.Passengers of both classes those who regularly travel by local train and those who travel occasionally experience about the hawkers . The most surprising thing starting from mixed muri to garments are available at the local train just like departmental store.PersonallyI had the experience to travel regularly at  Howrah Bardwan  chord line for four years. 

I deeply observed their activities. It is presumed that the hawkersckers were less educated while their efficiency in marketing their saleable items are unbelievable. They can continuously speak with good Bengali. It's another astonishing thing  that all items are available like fruits,tea, sweets, stationary items, Garments, Herbal medicine, Books etc. 

Another surprising thing that they change the compartments in a running condition at the cost of their lives and at any moment accident may happen. I don't know the exact number of hawkers working in Bengal in train yet I can guess the number must be large. It means those number of families are dependent on the working of Hawkers. Ours is a vast country and the same is distributed with unemployment problem while it can be guessed that huge number of people are engaged in all India basis . 

Here Railway ministry may play an important role in regard to the demand of hawkers for security and their right to work with full of security.I am not aware of the fact that the role played if any by the Railway.It is my humble submission to respond to the demand of hawkers unions. The hawkers may look into the matter of their security seriously specially two  items firstly they  pick up running train with their selling items and they move from one compartment to another in a running condition. The same may cause serious accident at any moment.

I think possibly identity cards have been issued to the hawkers who have met All the parameters for getting the identity card which is a token of legal recognition and the same will check unauthorized hawkers.

Kolkata and Street Dogs

Kolkata and street dogs      This is perhaps one of the most important areas of Kolkata city , however the same is a neglected part all along and no importance is given to this problem.

May  be there are thousand of problematic areas where the same does not attract any importance. Let us discuss the burning problem at length.

I don't know how many Street dogs are in Kolkata , may be more than lakh . They move freely while the passers-by who move on foot are also helpless.

There is no body to think for large sections of people.Apart from the said passers by of huge number also a large section of minor boys and girls walk.

All of them are afraid of biting and if unfortunately the same occurs only the victim could realise  the  harassment he has to suffer. Nobody and no organisation will come forward for the medical treatment of the victim. Besides the most alarming thing the requisite  injections most of the time are not available. The hospitals are of tremendous rush of the similar patients and the patients face  unbelievable harassment .The same appears to be a curse. So far I know there is a department in Kolkata municipal corporation to catch the street dogs but their infrastructure is very poor. Practically the existence of the said department is not felt .

Besides another problem is that various animal welfare organisations are severely against in catching the dogs. As a result years after years no action is taken from any corner ,as a result the number of dogs increase tremendously.

I don't know whether in any  metropolitan city of the world the street dogs at all can move. How to solve the most neglected burning problem. There is a proverb while there is a will there is a way.

The kMC  with their full strength can strengthen their infrastructure to a maximum length without any compromise and also negotiate with the animal welfare organisations and come to a amicable settlement so as to save the lives of crore of citizens and also to save them from immense harassment in case of biting .

It is my humble prayer to all appropriate authorities to kindly look into the matter with utmost importance and priority and do the needful without any further delay and to open a separate department for this purpose if the same is not in existence.